The decision of World Skate Europe (WSE) to allow the Continental Cup to be played in one game between Catalan Lleida and title winner, Sporting CP, was criticized by FC Porto in a letter to the organizations responsible for the sport condemning the fact that he was not aware of the change format, although it was one of the clubs selected for the original final four.
The WSE Roller Hockey Committee announced the Continental Cup on September 18 the day before yesterday, in which Europa League winner Sporting faced WS Europe Cup winner Lleida in their only game. An “exceptional situation” given the pandemic and various difficulties, the statement said, including the lack of proposals for the wider Final Four Continental Cup. However, FC Porto “considers this decision incomprehensible and unacceptable.”
And the Porto-based director of roller hockey, Eurico Pinto, who signed the letter, stresses: “It discredits ice skating, especially roller hockey, and everyone who directs it at a European level.” Changes to the regulations are in question “without the slightest concern to listen to the opinions of other clubs participating in the final four”, losers in the Europa League and WS Europe Cup, FC Porto and Sarzana of Italy, respectively. However, Liceo da Coruña, who is in Portugal this weekend for the preparatory matches, admitted before the trip that he had failed the Europa League, disagreeing with the model followed by the WSE.
