Skip to main content

Portugal boss Bento hits back at diving claims

Sweden will host Portugal in the second leg of their FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off on Tuesday with the visitors leading after a 1-0 triumph in Lisbon.

Ahead of the match in Stockholm, Larsson, one of Sweden's key midfielders, has claimed the appointment of English referee Howard Webb will ensure Portugal will not get away with 'the same tricks' as they employed in Lisbon.

"I don't believe referee Howard Webb won't see a situation like Elmander in the Portuguese penalty area and a pretend foul that Elmander tried to invent in the first leg - he dived," Bento said on Monday.

The focus of the two-legged tie has been on both teams' star men - Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"There is no way to try to stop a single player though, we have to do it on a collective term," Bento said.

"I think Sweden will try to stop us as a team and try to block Cristiano Ronaldo.

"What we will try to do is attack well and not only count on Ronaldo.

"If there is special marking on Ronaldo that maybe gives us the chance to find opportunities for other players from other areas of the pitch."