Filipe Luís: Refereeing could decide Brasileirão title race

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Coluna do Fla

·6 October 2025

Filipe Luís: Refereeing could decide Brasileirão title race

Brasileirão Matches Over the Weekend Were Filled with Controversies Involving Refereeing

The matches of the Brazilian Championship last weekend were marked by a series of refereeing errors. After Flamengo’s 1-0 defeat to Bahia, coach Filipe Luís stated that refereeing can influence the ‘final’ outcome of the Brasileirão.

In summary, during a press conference, Filipe Luís said that refereeing can influence the result of the Brasileirão if the discrepancy between errors is too great. Furthermore, the Flamengo coach made it clear that he hopes for mutual respect for the good of the tournament, in response to Coluna do Fla.

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If the difference in errors is 80-20, of course it influences the final result of the competition. We hope that the margin of error is very small for the two or three teams fighting for the title and that there is mutual respect for the good of the competition. We all saw it (the unawarded penalty against Palmeiras) and unfortunately I tried as much as possible to keep my players’ heads and focus on the game. But unfortunately, we had a sending off in the first half that affected the course of the match.

What Were the Biggest Controversies of the 27th Round?

First of all, on Saturday (04), Grêmio complained a lot about a penalty awarded in the final minutes of the match against Red Bull Bragantino. Then, on Sunday (05), the performance of Ramon Abatti Abel and the VAR drew attention in the derby between São Paulo and Palmeiras.

One of the most controversial moments was the non-awarding of a penalty to São Paulo. On that occasion, Allan slid in on Tapia inside the box, but neither Ramon Abatti Abel nor the VAR intervened.

Additionally, an incident in which a Palmeiras player should have been sent off was ignored. After many refereeing interventions, Palmeiras came from behind to beat São Paulo 3-2 at Morumbis.

What Action Did the CBF Take?

Also on Sunday (05), the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) released an official statement. In the announcement, the organization stated that it had removed the central referees and VAR officials from the matches between Red Bull Bragantino vs Grêmio, as well as São Paulo vs Palmeiras.

How Was Flamengo’s Match?

It’s important to note that Flamengo had two players sent off in the match against Bahia. Just 12 minutes into the first half, after a ball was played to Tiago, Danilo raised his foot too high, missed the ball, and hit the face of Bahia’s striker.

As a result, the referee immediately showed the red card and sent off the Flamengo defender. Then, from the 34th minute of the second half, Flamengo played with nine men. That’s because the referee sent off Wallace Yan, who had come on at 22’.

What Now?

Now, Flamengo will only return to the field on October 15, when they face Botafogo in the 28th round of the Brasileirão. That’s because, until then, the national calendar will be paused due to the FIFA International Break.

Finally, when Brazilian football resumes, Flamengo will play the derby against Botafogo at Engenhão, starting at 7:30 pm (Brasília time). In short, the match will be broadcast live on Premiere, via pay-per-view.

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