Palmeiras player on Flamengo ‘war’ off the pitch: “Huge pressure” | OneFootball

Palmeiras midfielder Maurício was asked about the heated atmosphere between the clubs’ boards

Flamengo did not even take the field over the weekend, but there was still a ‘clash’ with Palmeiras through official statements. The feud between the clubs is nothing new and has been going on in recent years. Asked whether the situation affects the squad, Maurício, the midfielder for the São Paulo side, acknowledged that the pressure is intense, but said it does not interfere with the performance of the players selected by coach Abel Ferreira.

“It didn’t get into the locker room (the exchange of statements). It’s a huge amount of external pressure, both from the media and between the clubs, but it didn’t get in and it cannot get into the locker room. It can’t take our focus away or harm us,” Maurício said in an interview in the mixed zone after Palmeiras’ win over Fortaleza on Sunday (02), in the Copa do Brasil.

WHAT WAS THE LATEST EXCHANGE OF ACCUSATIONS?

On Saturday (01), Palmeiras released a statement complaining that Maurício had been charged by the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) for the elbow he struck to the face of Vitória’s Cacá in the latest round of the Brasileirão. On that occasion, the defender from the Bahia side left with five stitches in his chin, but the midfielder received only a yellow card.

In defending Maurício, Palmeiras cited Flamengo and an alleged ‘identical incident’ involving Erick Pulgar against Internacional in the Brasileirão, along with the fact that the Chilean would not have to face a hearing. Then, the Rubro-Negro fired back at Leila Pereira’s club later that same day.

CAN’T PALMEIRAS LET GO OF FLAMENGO?

Besides the exchange of statements on Saturday (01), Abel Ferreira spoke about Flamengo on Sunday (02). Once again, the Portuguese coach downplayed Mengão’s fourth Libertadores title, ‘putting an asterisk’ on the brilliant triumph over his own São Paulo club.

— Last year’s Libertadores final is an asterisk that I will not erase while I’m here. I even confronted the referee and asked why he didn’t see what everyone else saw. We live in a world of men, we know there are flaws and virtues, and I myself have several. If we all want to be perfectly righteous, then let’s all go to the Vatican —, Abel Ferreira said at a press conference after Palmeiras vs. Fortaleza.

WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S OPINION?

— Danilo’s headed goal still hurts on Palmeiras’ side. It’s statements, it’s Leila Pereira talking about Flamengo all the time, it’s Abel… The Portuguese coach could come out of this looking huge by talking about Veiga not being sent off for the incident with Carrascal, or by admitting the team was a fiasco in the final, with zero shots on target. But no, he keeps lowering himself and bringing up Pulgar every other interview — said Pedro Paulo Catonho, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

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