"In a way, this law will give us another capacity to have a faster, more robust, deeper application of the law with more positive consequences," the governor said in an interview with Lusa.

Tiago Brandão Rodrigues said that the previous government and this guardianship had a systematic action concerning the phenomenon of violence, considering that many times, sport and, specifically, football has associated a set of serious criminal practices that end up entering the stadiums.

"We know well that violence ends up being very nationalised in our society and we have to work to eradicate it", he said, emphasising the creation of the Authority for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in Sport, created last year and which allows the speed of processes to be greater.

Benfica contested, in July, the constitutionality of the new law to combat violence in sport, which requires the registration of Organised Groups of Supporters (GOA), claiming, at that time, that nobody can be forced to join an association.

"Benfica has made its choices regarding the organised groups of supporters, the existence or not of organised groups of supporters," the governor told Lusa, pointing out that the restrictions of the GOA in sports venues, namely regarding the limited positioning in the stands, will help the security forces.

Brandão Rodrigues was persistent: "It increases the possibility of security of the general public and it is very important that this law, which is now in force, can reach our stadiums, our pavilions and that, above all, can be fulfilled to have more security."

About the ‘divorce’ assumed by Sporting with the Juventude Leonina and Ultras XXI supporters’ groups, the minister only said that the clubs have to feel comfortable with those who support them and with those who make agreements.

"I think it is as natural as possible that the president of Sporting understood that he did not want to continue this collaboration and this cooperation with these two groups, but that is part of the internal dynamics of the club and the club concerns itself. We look with concern and attention, but above all, with the distance concerning these issues," he said.