Ex-player Diego Souza slams refereeing in Vasco v Flamengo clash | OneFootball

Former player Diego Souza took to his social media to harshly criticize referee Bruno Arleu de Araújo’s performance in the Vasco vs. Flamengo derby, held this Wednesday for the Campeonato Carioca. The main point of outrage was the sending off of Vasco’s Cauan Barros, right at the start of the second half.

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What Diego Souza said

The former striker – who played for Vasco – questioned the interpretation of the play in which the midfielder hit Carrascal’s calf. “You can call me biased, but what conviction for a sending off where at no point does the player’s leg come down to stomp on the calf. A yellow for committing the foul off the ball, ok. But to send him off is just cowardice,” he fired.

Diego Souza also used strong words to describe the refereeing at Maracanã. “A sending off in a play like that is a real scam in favor of a team that doesn’t need anyone’s help, and yet this refereeing makes a difference. Congratulations to those involved,” he stated.

Despite the complaints, Diego Souza emphasized his support for player protection. “I will always value the physical integrity of the athlete because I know how bad it is for a player to get injured,” he stressed.

Flamengo beat Vasco this Wednesday 1-0 and secured their first win in the 2026 edition of the Campeonato Carioca.

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