On Monday night, Pepe was sent off as Porto lost a crunch Primeira Liga clash with Sporting Lisbon. <br /><br />The 40-year-old - known as one of football's hot-headed figures - was dismissed early in the second half after lashing out at Sporting wing-back Matheus Reis. <br /><br />Reis crashed into the back of Pepe as he positioned the ball for a free-kick in his half and the defender swung his arm out, catching his opponent in the face. <br /><br />Pepe looked furious as Reis collapsed to the floor holding his face and after a VAR check, the Porto centre-back was sent off. <br /><br />After receiving his marching orders for the 16th time in his career, he sarcastically clapped the referee and laughed.<br /><br />While he might claim to have retaliated for Reis steaming into the back of him, it is hard to justify swinging his arm into the Sporting man's face. <br /><br />Porto was already 1-0 down after Viktor Gyokeres' first-half opener, but within 10 minutes of Pepe's maverick moment, the deficit had doubled after Pedro Goncalves' goal. <br /><br />It was Pepe's second sending-off of the season after his dismissal in Portugal's version of the Community Shield - the Supertaca - against Benfica. <br /><br />Porto sit third in the Portuguese top flight, three points behind Sporting and two behind Benfica after 14 games. <br /><br />Pepe is in his sixth season back at the Portuguese giants and is targeting a fifth title with them, having spent a stint at the club earlier in his career. <br /><br />Last season they missed out on the Primeira Liga crown by two points as Benfica reclaimed it.<br /><br />This year looks primed for another close tussle between the country's big three, while Braga is not out of the mix as they are only two points behind Porto.
