Coluna do Fla
·23. April 2026
Jair Ventura ‘blames’ ref after Flamengo v Vitória defeat, Copa do Brasil

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Yahoo sportsColuna do Fla
·23. April 2026

Flamengo made home advantage count and beat Vitória 2-1 this Wednesday (22) in the first leg of the fifth round of the Copa do Brasil. Despite Flamengo dominating most of the match, coach Jair Ventura blamed the refereeing for the defeat suffered by the Bahia side.
— We scored, had a goal disallowed, we played. Praising Flamengo is stating the obvious. As for VAR, all the experts said it was meant for a different kind of situation — he said, before concluding:
— So we’re upset. There was also stoppage time, nine minutes. But we’re still alive, and I’m sure our fans will push us on to fight for qualification — Jair Ventura concluded.
The first incident prompting complaints from Vitória came two minutes into the first half. On that occasion, Luiz Araújo hit Ramon, the Bahia side’s full-back, in the face with his arm. However, referee Anderson Daronco waved play on.
Then, in the final minutes of the match, at the 39-minute mark, Diego Tarzia challenged Saúl Ñíguez for the ball. Both ended up on the ground, and Anderson Daronco called a foul by the Vitória player. The decision, however, angered the Bahia side, since the Flamengo midfielder had struck his opponent with an elbow.
It is worth noting that the second leg of the fifth round is scheduled for May 14 (Thursday), at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at Barradão. Therefore, after the 2-1 win in the first leg, the Rubro-Negro side can even draw and still advance to the next stage of the Copa do Brasil.
Flamengo will now put the Copa do Brasil on the back burner and shift focus back to the Brasileirão. This Sunday (26), Leonardo Jardim’s team will face Atlético-MG at 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Arena MRV, in the 13th round of the competition.
As tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match between Flamengo and Atlético-MG through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, SporTV (cable TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Brasileirão match.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.


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