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Jose Mourinho has taken aim at the standard of refereeing in Portugal after Benfica's title push faltered over the weekend.
The Special One, now 62, returned to Benfica in September, 25 years after his initial 11-game stint with the Portuguese giants.
Mourinho has had a mixed time back in Lisbon. The 62-year-old has won six of his 12 games in charge, but his side are 35th in the Champions League League Phase out of 36 teams, six points adrift of Porto domestically, and three behind Sporting Lisbon.
Benfica dropped points at the weekend as they drew 2-2 against strugglers Casa Pia having been 2-0 up.
The game changed when Casa Pia were awarded a contentious second half penalty for handball, and although Anatoliy Trubin saved the spot kick, Tomas Araujo scored an own goal in the melee that followed, before Renato Nhaga levelled the game in injury time.
That was particularly damaging as Sporting scored a 94th minute winner at Santa Clara on Saturday, which came after they were wrongly awarded a corner - a decision that infuriated Benfica and Porto.
Jose Mourinho has slammed the level of refereeing in Portugal after Benfica dropped points
Benfica were 2-0 up but drew 2-2 after Casa Pia were awarded a contentious penalty
And, speaking after his side's game, Mourinho - who has been known to be heavily critical of officials during his time in the dugout - ripped into refereeing in Portugal.
'Casa Pia didn’t have a single shot on goal,' he fumed. 'The game was dead, and then… if I’m going to comment on the referee’s and VAR’s performance, I also have to analyse what happened yesterday and a week ago, and that takes me into territory I prefer to avoid.
'It's (the penalty) a mistake - and I'm being generous in calling it a mistake - by VAR, whose mission is to help the referee avoid errors. It's a blatant and egregious error by VAR.
'It's our fault because we didn't close out the game completely; we closed it out at 2-0, but the referee and VAR reopened it.'
Mourinho continued: 'Benfica deserves more respect from everyone, and when I say everyone, I mean my players too, not just me. Some players may not know what Benfica is all about.
'There’s a clear double standard at all levels, whether in the media or in refereeing. Benfica is too big and deserves a different kind of respect.
'Benfica demands the utmost respect, even when we’re not the best coach in the world; we have to keep expectations at the highest level.'
During his spell at Fenerbahce, Mourinho took his refereeing concerns to new levels and regularly eviscerated the standard of officiating in Turkey, even claiming they favoured arch-rivals Galatasaray.
Fuming Benfica president Rui Costa demanded authorities do something about the situation
But his viewpoint on Sunday was also shared by Benfica president Rui Costa, who demanded authorities do something about the situation.
'There have been too many cases like this against Benfica,' he fumed. 'Benfica will request a preliminary hearing before the Arbitration Council, the governing body of Portuguese football, because what is happening is far too serious.
'What we have seen in these past two days is far too serious. Two points for one team and two points taken from the other. This is how championships are won, and Benfica will not remain silent in the face of a situation like this.
'You know this is not how I operate in football, but enough is enough. My apologies for this as well, but enough is enough.
'I am here to speak about the law once again, just as I did yesterday. These are two blatant cases.'
