Rui Pinto's state protection in Portugal is expected to end on 10 October, even as the Manchester City case he helped ignite keeps moving through football's legal fallout. He has been in the state protection programme since 2020, and he was allegedly assaulted in Lisbon last April. His lawyers are challenging the withdrawal with suspensive effect.
Pinto's reaction to the verdict
Pinto's response to Manchester City's verdict has fresh force because it now lands against that timeline. Speaking to goal.com, he said: "From the very beginning, they have demonstrated a complete lack of respect for the rules, for the bodies responsible for overseeing and regulating the game, for the integrity of the competition, for the other clubs and, above all, for the fans."
He also added that "years and years of cheating, lying and manipulation will finally have consequences." Those are not the words of someone trying to soften the blow.
The club are still waiting to learn the punishment, and the legal case sits alongside very strong domestic form. Manchester City are top of the Premier League with 15 points from 5 matches, and they have won their last 5 league games.
The awkward part for Pinto is obvious. The man whose disclosures put this story into motion is now facing the end of the protection he has had since 2020, while the club remain under the same spotlight that made his warnings so damaging in the first place.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
