Flamengo cries foul in court, accuses Vasco of damaging Maracanã pitch | OneFootball

The legal battle over the use of the Maracanã took on surreal contours in recent days with a new and curious argument presented by Flamengo. In a filing sent to the 47th Civil Court of the Rio de Janeiro State Court of Justice, the red-and-black rival formally accused Vasco and Palmeiras of having left the stadium pitch with “serious damage” and “full of holes” because of a match played back in April 2023.

The filing is part of the legal battle started by Cruzmaltino to secure the definitive right to use the public stadium under the same commercial conditions as Flamengo and Fluminense.

On August 18, Judge Lorena Dutra ruled in Vasco’s favor, confirming that the injunction obtained at the time was correct, that the crowd justified the choice for safety reasons, and that the event did not represent damage to public property.

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The report at the center of the dispute and the rival’s desperation

Unhappy with the court decision that recognized the right of the Giant of the Hill, the Gávea club attached a technical report from Greenleaf in an attempt to overturn the ruling.

The Rubro-Negro argued that holding that match caused a risk of injuries to the players and left the field full of holes, citing reports from the time and even statements from Vasco’s coaching staff about the poor condition of the surface in an attempt to justify its monopoly over the management of the sporting venue.

Vasco fans at the Maracanã – Photo: Matheus Lima

The big match in 2023 and the outcome of that season

On the Maracanã pitch, on April 23, 2023, Vasco and Palmeiras put on a thrilling clash that ended in a 2-2 draw in the second round of the Brazilian Championship, with Vasco’s goals scored by Pedro Raul and Gabriel Pec, while Rafael Navarro and Artur replied for the São Paulo side in front of nearly 60,000 people.

That year ended in green-and-white celebration with Palmeiras winning the national title with 70 points and Vasco heroically securing its place in Série A, while the red-and-black rival endured a season without any major trophies.

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