The anticipation surrounding a key football match required several political parties to adjust their schedules today, ensuring politics did not overshadow the ‘derby’ as the highlight.
The Socialist Party (PS) rally in Bragança was delayed until after 5:00 PM. The timing necessitated inserting closing music during some speeches, akin to the Oscars, as a cue for speakers exceeding their allotted time.
Approximately 500 kilometers from Luz Stadium and 17 minutes before kickoff, Pedro Nuno Santos took the stage, humorously acknowledging, “We will be quick.”
“Not for me, as I support Porto, but for the Sporting and Benfica fans here. I hope it goes well for you, as for us…,” he joked, referencing Porto’s lackluster season.
Aware that every campaign moment is crucial, the PS leader leveraged the occasion to draw parallels between the anticipated celebration for one club and the upcoming legislative elections.
“On May 18, it will be a celebration for all Portuguese,” he remarked, expressing optimism for the PS in the anticipated early elections.
As the teams took the field at Luz Stadium, Santos addressed issues in the National Health Service and the PS’s proposals in this domain.
When the match commenced, the PS secretary-general transitioned to discussing the party’s proposal to reduce the weekly work hours.
As he concluded his address, with his voice audibly strained, the match at Luz Stadium was already underway.
After being draped with a traditional Mirandese cap and hoisted by supporters to the campaign anthem, Sporting fans celebrated their team’s opening goal while Santos remained engaged with the audience.
Post-rally, the PS leader was in high demand for photos and greetings before moving to an adjacent room set with a giant screen for attendees to watch the game.
Porto supporter Pedro Nuno Santos settled in the front row, unfazed by the game’s outcome, watching as the crowd nibbled on traditional Portuguese snacks and beer.
Santos departed shortly before halftime, with Sporting maintaining an advantage, heading towards Porto for scheduled events in Matosinhos and Vila Nova de Gaia the following morning.
