Tensions are rising again around Goncalo Feio. After Thursday's match against Brøndby (1:1) in the third qualifying round of the Conference League, the Portuguese coach of Legia Warsaw was seen making offensive gestures toward the section where Danish fans were seated.
At the post-match press conference, Feio explained that his behavior was a response to Brøndby's disrespectful attitude towards Legia during the first match. However, the Portuguese coach's explanations didn't sit well with UEFA, which has decided to investigate his conduct.
The investigation covers two issues. The first concerns a violation of general behavior and conduct rules. The second issue relates to "damaging the image of football, and particularly that of UEFA."
Although Feio initially stated that he had no intention of apologizing for his actions, just before Sunday’s league match against Radomiak Radom (which Legia won 4:1), the coach issued a special statement.
"I allowed myself to make unacceptable gestures that go beyond the values I and the club I am proud to represent hold dear. (...) As a coach, I know how important it is to recognize one's mistakes in order to avoid repeating them," Feio wrote.
Kowalczyk: Feio Insults the Players
This may only be the beginning of the Portuguese coach's problems at Legia. On the program "Liga Minus" on the weszlo.com portal, former Legia player Wojciech Kowalczyk claimed that, according to his information, Feio has been insulting his players.
"I've made 2-3 calls and I know that the locker room is upset because he insults the players. It was heated. Things are bad," said Kowalczyk, without providing any specific details. "There are several players who are simply being insulted. It's a mess," added the former Polish national team player. These comments are surprising, given that Feio has always publicly defended his teams and emphasized that his players are the most important to him.
This wasn't the first time Kowalczyk has criticized Feio. "There's really no point in waiting—Legia should part ways with Goncalo Feio during the international break because eventually, he'll have to be fired around November anyway, so why waste time?" commented Kowalczyk in a recent column on the "Weszło" portal.
"With this madman, things will only get worse, meaning the team doesn't have much of a future, especially in terms of competing on two fronts. Moreover, it's hard to believe that Feio won't pull off something else," added the former Legia striker.
This Thursday, Legia will face Kosovo's Drita at home in the Conference League playoff round. The following Sunday, Legia has an away league match against Śląsk Wrocław.
