Flamengo hit back at Palmeiras in note over new refereeing 'whinge' | OneFootball

After the World Cup break, the refereeing debate once again took center stage in Brazilian football. And that is no coincidence. In recent years, a perception has taken hold among fans, football professionals, and a significant part of public opinion that a certain club has been repeatedly benefited by refereeing decisions. This perception is not born solely from sporting rivalry. It is also supported by numbers. A survey by Espião Estatístico, from ge, shows that since the implementation of the VAR ranking in 2020 through the 2026 Brazilian Championship, Palmeiras has accumulated the highest number of decisions changed in its favor (65), the lowest number of decisions against it among the country’s main clubs (47), and the biggest positive balance in Brazilian football (+18). It also leads in the total number of VAR interventions. The numbers from this edition of the Brasileirão point in the same direction. Palmeiras is the 5th team that needs to commit the most fouls to receive a yellow card (6.72 fouls per booking), while its opponents are among those who receive the most yellow and red cards when facing it. No data, taken in isolation, proves favoritism. But statistics accumulated over seven seasons help explain why this debate never ends and remains on the agenda of everyone involved in football. The behavior adopted on and off the pitch also deserves reflection. It has become frequent to watch players and coaching staffs surround referees, complain ostentatiously, and put themselves in the position of victims even after obvious fouls or even a simple throw-in. A studied and coordinated action. It is important to recognize the investments made by the CBF and the advances promoted by the Refereeing Commission, with training, the release of VAR audio, and the implementation of new technologies. However, they are not the ones who enforce the rules that, at times, end up deciding matches. In the match between Vitória and Palmeiras, for example, the decisions were made by Alex Gomes Stefano on the field and Marco Aurélio Augusto Fazekas Ferreira in the VAR booth. It is the referees who interpret the plays, apply the rules, and make decisions capable of changing the table, influencing battles for titles, qualification spots, and relegation. Therefore, they also need to be held accountable when they make serious mistakes, when they are passive in the face of pressure even on throw-ins, and when they fail to curb systematic bad behavior, as the rules require. The World Cup recently showed the way; referees and athletes who were there, many of them playing in Brazil, acted there according to the ‘fair play’ rule, and they should do the same here. Brazilian football needs to go back to discussing the game more than the refereeing. That will only be possible when referees adopt clear criteria and stop rewarding teams that use pressure throughout the match as a strategy. The rules must be followed by everyone, including the referees. Football is passion and a big business. That is why it needs credibility from those entrusted with enforcing the rules of the game,” Flamengo said.

Palmeiras received with astonishment the complaint filed by the STJD Prosecutor’s Office against Maurício. The initiative offends not only our institution, but also Brazilian refereeing. The referee and the VAR reviewed the play and concluded that a yellow card was sufficient. If every refereeing interpretation is to be replaced by the conviction of a prosecutor, what are the referee and VAR for? The complaint is also incomprehensible because the foul did not even generate a consensus of opinion; on the contrary, it divided refereeing experts, former athletes, and journalists. More serious, however, is the Court’s lack of criteria. In the same round, players Pulgar and Raniele committed similar infractions, as shown in the videos below (Pulgar and Raniele incidents). Unlike what it did with Maurício, however, the STJD respected the refereeing decisions involving Flamengo and Corinthians players. We therefore arrive at the inevitable question: why will only Maurício be judged? There is no justice when identical infractions receive different treatment. The Prosecutor’s Office gives the impression that certain episodes deserve extraordinary attention while others can be ignored. If Maurício was charged for a foul worthy of a yellow card, why did the following incidents go unpunished by the body? This is not the first time we have been forced to question the STJD. The disproportionate punishment of coach Abel Ferreira and the suspensions handed to Allan and Paulinho — now added to the complaint against Maurício — reinforce the perception that there is a lack of balance and equality in the Court’s actions involving our club. Palmeiras has always respected institutions, but demands respect. We will not quietly accept institutional limits being overstepped and unreasonable measures harming the excellent work developed by our professionals,” the São Paulo club said.

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