Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has defended Pepe's actions in their loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey quarter-final on Wednesday.
The Brazilian-born enforcer was accused of deliberately stamping on Lionel Messi's hand during the first-leg clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The ex-Porto defender has since said that the incident was unintentional, but has been criticised heavily in the press in Spain and also internationally.
Mourinho, however, said he believes Pepe's version of events, and he wants the commotion surrounding the incident to cease.
"If Pepe said publicly that the stamp was intentional and he told me, it would have really bothered me," Mourinho said at a press conference ahead of Sunday's clash at home to Athletic Bilbao.
"But he has said it was not intentional and I believe him. If any of you think he is a liar, say it. Let's not make this a never-ending story."
The 48-year-old tactician added he felt Pepe was wrongfully targeted, when Barca's Sergio Busquets was not under the same media pressure when allegedly making racist comments towards Marcelo last season.
"I didn't see you last season doubting a player who made racist remarks and said he didn't. Everyone believed it was true, even UEFA. Now Pepe says it wasn't intentional (and nobody believes him)," he concluded.
Pepe is set to miss Sunday's La Liga match through injury.