Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco: what's behind the Maracanã row | OneFootball

Flamengo, Fluminense, and Vasco are once again disputing the use of the Maracanã off the pitch. Vasco received another denial to host the Copa Sudamericana semifinal against Boca Juniors there and has gone to court in an attempt to overturn the decision.

RTI Esporte Agency has learned that the club filed a lawsuit against FLA-FLU Serviços S.A., the company that manages the Maracanã, in the 2nd Civil Court of the Capital District in Rio de Janeiro. The request for urgent relief seeks to ensure the match can be played at the stadium.

The denial was the third one Vasco has received. Flamengo and Fluminense, who are responsible for the stadium’s management, argue that the decision is related to technical and operational issues, especially the sequence of matches and the need to preserve the pitch.

Vasco needs to find a way out

The situation has become urgent because of Conmebol’s deadline to define the stadium. The second leg against Boca Juniors will be on October 20 in Rio de Janeiro, and Vasco must inform the governing body of the venue at least ten days in advance.

São Januário appears to be an alternative, but it also faces a regulatory hurdle. For the Copa Sudamericana semifinals, Conmebol requires a stadium with a minimum capacity of 30,000 fans. Vasco is therefore seeking an exceptional solution to use its home ground.

Pedrinho tries to keep the match at São Januário

In addition to the legal action, president Pedro Paulo de Oliveira, known as Pedrinho, is seeking flexibility directly from Conmebol. The idea is to expand the area allocated to visiting fans and present conditions to accommodate Boca Juniors supporters.

The relationship between Pedrinho and Juan Román Riquelme is also part of the talks. Vasco is seeking a solution that addresses safety, logistics, and space for the visiting supporters, without allowing capacity restrictions to prevent São Januário from hosting the continental semifinal.

Maracanã has become a flashpoint

The dispute involves sporting, administrative, and financial interests that have been building up for years. Flamengo and Fluminense manage the stadium through the concessionaire, while Vasco claims the right to use it for major matches.

Vasco’s new request brings this relationship back into the legal arena. The court will have to examine the urgent petition while the club also tries to find an alternative with the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol).

Semifinal against Boca Juniors is approaching

The decisive tie already has a set schedule. The first leg will be played on October 13 in Argentina. The return leg will take place a week later in Rio de Janeiro. Vasco is therefore racing against time to resolve the deadlock.

On one side, it is trying to obtain judicial authorization to use the Maracanã. On the other, it is working to convince Conmebol to accept São Januário. Meanwhile, Flamengo and Fluminense are maintaining the concessionaire’s position regarding use of the stadium.

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