Benfica Files Official UEFA Complaint Against Valverde for 'Punching' Samuel Dahl

Portuguese club Benfica has filed an official complaint with UEFA, European football's governing body, against Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, accusing the Uruguayan of "violent conduct" during the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff match.

In its complaint to UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, Benfica stated that Valverde approached their defender Samuel Dahl in the 83rd minute of the match, held at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, at a moment when no player was contesting the ball. The club considers this action to warrant a direct red card.

Neither the referee nor the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened at the time to stop or penalize Valverde. However, Benfica views the incident as an act of "violent conduct" that requires review by the disciplinary committee ahead of the return leg, scheduled for next week at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

Benfica's complaint comes amidst a controversial match that also saw other off-field issues, most notably a UEFA investigation into allegations that Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. was subjected to racist abuse by a Benfica player. This incident led to a brief stoppage of the game and the activation of anti-racism protocols.