Marco Silva threatens to quit Benfica after Porto loss, citing September referee woes

Former Fulham manager Marco Silva has hinted he could walk away from his new role at Benfica just three months after joining, after his side suffered a 3-1 defeat to rivals Porto on 23 September 2026.

Why Silva left Fulham

Silva departed Fulham at the end of last season when his contract expired, paving the way for Alvaro Arbeloa to take charge at Craven Cottage. The former Liverpool defender had previously managed Everton before his brief spell at the London club.

Benfica’s rocky start

Benfica sit second in the Portuguese league, five points behind Porto following their first defeat of the season. Silva’s frustration centred on the refereeing, particularly the half‑time sending‑off of defender Clement Lenglet.

"I won't comment on the sending off," Silva said, adding that any club statement should come from Benfica itself.

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He warned, "I don't know if I'll be able to continue like this until the end of the season, because I come from a different culture. Here, unfortunately, you can influence referees before matches, after them and during the week, and sometimes it works. I'm not going to go down that route."

Silva is no stranger to such outbursts; he was fined £90,000 and handed a one‑match touchline ban after criticising officials following Fulham’s loss to West Ham earlier in March.

Porto president Andre Villas‑Boas praised referee Miguel Nogueira after the win, noting that Porto have amassed 21 points from seven victories.

Meanwhile, Silva’s former Premier League club, Everton, currently sit 19th after five games, underscoring the challenges he faces in both England and Portugal.