Abel recalls São Paulo v Palmeiras, questions referees: “Scared?” | OneFootball

The Palmeiras was defeated by Grêmio on Tuesday night, during the 36th round of the Brazilian Championship, making the chance of winning the title even more difficult. Abel Ferreira lamented his team's mistakes in the come-from-behind defeat by 3 to 2 that took place at Arena do Grêmio. The coach also criticized the Brazilian refereeing and said he noticed a change after the controversies in the classic against São Paulo.

On Tuesday night, referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio awarded two penalties to Grêmio. In the second one, he also expelled Giay after the infraction.

“I would like to understand why my player was expelled. At least the rules say that the player should not be penalized twice or the team should not be penalized twice, but anyway, it was what it was,” said Abel.

Abel recalls controversy in Choque-Rei and questions referees

Abel Ferreira said he noticed a change in the referees' behavior after the controversies in the Choque-Rei. In the last press conference, he had already criticized the narratives created about Palmeiras being favored by the refereeing.

“I don't live on 'ifs'. If that penalty had been awarded, the game would have been 3 to 3, right? Or it would have been 4 to 3. But what is true is that, after that penalty, a lot changed. Namely, the referee of that competition was suspended for I don't know how many months,” he declared.

In the classic between Palmeiras and São Paulo, which took place in October, referee Ramon Abatti Abel did not award a penalty to the Tricolor while the home team was winning 2 to 0. Subsequently, Verdão turned the game around and won 3 to 2. The referee was suspended by the CBF and, last week, received a 40-day suspension after a judgment by the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD).

“Could it be that the other referees were not afraid, for example, to call the penalty that happened at Maracanã? If we compare the penalty that happened at Maracanã with Arrascaeta at Palmeiras' home in the first leg, is there much difference? Is there a difference in that ball that hit the Vitória player that he blocked? Not even the VAR went to see it. Therefore, could it be that all the referees were not afraid that the CBF would punish them and that, afterwards, the STJD would give them even more days of punishment? Something I had never seen in five years here in Brazil,” questioned Abel.

“A lot changed after the São Paulo game, a lot changed and this is very visible, isn't it? Today the referee has no doubts in awarding the two penalties. The first foul that happens at the edge of the area of the game is a clear yellow. I am talking to the fourth referee. I said, I don't understand why the referee doesn't give a yellow. The first foul that happens in the game, at the edge of the area that Felipe commits. If the foul is clear for a yellow, he doesn't give a yellow. If you see my image and me talking to the referee, with the fourth referee, can you explain to me why it isn't a yellow? A dangerous foul at the edge of the area, why doesn't he give a yellow?” continued the coach.

Abel acknowledges Palmeiras' mistakes and demands improvement

But it wasn't just the refereeing that Abel Ferreira complained about. The coach analyzed Palmeiras' match, which had two distinct halves, and demanded improvement from his players for the mistakes made: from the penalties by Aníbal and Giay to a good chance missed by Facundo Torres.

“I think we had a beautiful first half. I think we entered the game very well, created a lot against our opponent. It's a pity that in the final third, the decisions and finishes didn't have a different outcome. I think it was extremely unfair the way we went into the break with a goal conceded from a throw-in. I don't remember anything the opponent created in the first half. I think we had a beautiful first half, pity the scant result,” he analyzed.

“Then in the second half, even with the harshness of conceding a goal in the last minute of the first half, I think the game balanced. What can I say? You can't commit a penalty like that, you can't. You can't even when we're losing 2 to 1, miss a goal under the goal like Facundo did. You can't. These types of mistakes are very costly, but I think in the end our opponent created more from our mistakes than from the volume they had,” he continued.

Now, Palmeiras prepares for the Libertadores final against Flamengo, which takes place this Saturday, at 6 p.m. (Brasília time), at Estadio Monumental U, in Lima (PER).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.