Porto hardman Pepe was lucky to escape a red card despite a horror tackle halfway up Gil Vicente rival’s leg in a shock home defeat.
The former Real Madrid defender was involved in a nasty incident in the first half of the Portuguese Primeira Liga clash at the Estadio do Dragao.
Pepe, 37, was chasing a loose ball when he lunged in with a two-footed tackle on Gil Vicente’s Andre Pereira.
The challenge was so high that it was almost up to the player’s knee and the referee had no choice but to show the veteran defender a yellow card.
The tackle sparked a melee between the two teams and the referee had to step in to calm the situation down.
Pepe was lucky to escape a red card as the challenge was reckless and could have caused serious injury to the player.
The incident overshadowed the match as Gil Vicente went on to win the game 1-0 thanks to a goal from former Porto striker Andre Silva.
The result was a shock for Porto, who had been unbeaten in their last five league games and had been expected to win the match.
The defeat leaves Porto in third place in the Primeira Liga, four points behind leaders Sporting Lisbon.
It was a disappointing night for Pepe, who had been in good form for Porto this season and had been a key part of their defence.
The veteran defender has been at Porto since 2007 and has made over 400 appearances for the club.
He has won four Primeira Liga titles, four Portuguese Cups and two Champions League titles during his time at the club.
Pepe is one of the most experienced players in the Portuguese league and his experience will be vital for Porto as they look to challenge for the title this season.
However, his horror tackle on Gil Vicente’s Andre Pereira will be a reminder of his reckless side and he will need to be careful in future matches to avoid any further disciplinary action.
