Flamengo sack Maracanã director after Léo Pereira’s pitch criticism | OneFootball

Flamengo have dismissed Severiano Braga, a director of the consortium that runs the Maracanã, a day after Léo Pereira criticised the pitch following the Libertadores win over Cruzeiro.

According to Coluna Do Fla, the decision was communicated by Fred Nantes, the consortium’s current CEO. Nantes, who has worked at Conmebol, recently took over the chief executive role that Braga had previously held before moving into a director’s post.

After Wednesday’s victory, Pereira said the surface was poor for both teams and argued it hampers a side that look to build play and finish with precision, leading to errors in front of goal.

Inside the club, the view is that the current turf is below last season’s standard. At that time, despite a crowded schedule and a World Cup break, such obvious issues were not evident.

Concerns predated Pereira’s comments and are heightened by Flamengo’s emphasis on possession, quick passing and building from deep, which demand a sound surface. Braga’s exit comes as solutions are sought, with an expectation that the Maracanã will offer better conditions for upcoming decisive fixtures in the Libertadores and the Brasileirão.

Source: Coluna Do Fla

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