Maracanã turns down Zico date, Game of the Stars may move city | OneFootball

Maracanã Consortium gave late notice about date unavailability and even complicates Zico’s Jogo das Estrelas

It’s not just Vasco. The Maracanã Consortium could even make it difficult to hold the Jogo das Estrelas, Zico’s traditional charity friendly match, the greatest idol in Flamengo’s history. So, the Little Rooster from Quintino is facing resistance from the stadium management, the Fla-Flu duo.

Why could the Jogo das Estrelas leave the Maracanã?

Initially, Zico’s team intended to hold the charity event on either December 27 or 28. However, Maracanã’s schedule already has events and maintenance planned for that period. They then suggested that the former player move the friendly up to the 6th, but without success.

In fact, the stadium only recently informed them that the original date would not be available. As a result, the search for a new venue became more difficult. Zico, Flamengo’s ambassador, already admits that this year’s edition may not be held there.

Therefore, the idea is to keep the plan for December 27 or 28, but at another venue, in or outside Rio de Janeiro. In the past, the match has already been held at Nilton Santos and at Morumbi, in São Paulo, due to construction work at Maracanã.

Why is Maracanã so booked up at the end of the year?

The stadium, managed by Flamengo and Fluminense, has already arranged concerts for December and January. Henrique & Juliano perform on December 12, and Xuxa on the 20th. In January, the venue hosts System of a Down, Faith No More, and BK, on the 15th and 16th.

Then there’s the pitch: the replacement was planned for after the Brazilian league season, but repairs began now, during this FIFA international break, right after the NFL game held on September 27. However, the full replacement is still scheduled for December.

So, the consortium denied Vasco use of the venue for technical reasons related to the field. Even so, the club went to court to secure the match against Boca Juniors (ARG) in the Copa Sudamericana on October 20.

Why are they going to replace the grass at Maracanã?

– We need a good pitch too. We’ve really been suffering in these last few matches, the field is getting worse and worse. It’s getting harder and harder to control the ball –, complained Rossi, who added:

– We have to try to play quickly. If we want to be champions, we have to find a solution. You can’t allow a team like ours to have a pitch like this –, said the Flamengo goalkeeper, who had the support of the other players in the rubro-negro squad.

Which Flamengo and Fluminense matches are scheduled at Maracanã?

Flamengo and Fluminense have matches scheduled at Maracanã this month and next, in the Libertadores and the Brazilian league. Rubro-Negro’s season at the stadium ends on December 2, against Chapecoense, at the Sacred Temple.

When does Flamengo return to the field after the FIFA international break?

Rubro-Negro’s first match is against Santos on October 8, starting at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at Vila Belmiro, in the Brazilian league. Then the team hosts Fluminense at Maracanã on the 11th, a Sunday, at 5:30 p.m., also in the Brazilian league.

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