Palmeiras use Léo Ortiz pitch comments to taunt Flamengo | OneFootball

Palmeiras have seized on Léo Ortiz’s remarks about synthetic turf to needle Flamengo amid a row over the Maracanã surface.

According to Coluna Do Fla, Palmeiras posted a social media video compiling Flamengo players criticising the Maracanã pitch. It included Ortiz saying a synthetic surface would be preferable in such conditions, then signed off with a time-will-tell message.

Ortiz did not express a general preference for artificial grass. He stressed only that, given the current state of the Maracanã, playing on synthetic would be better, and urged a swift fix.

He said he would complain about the surface but that it did not affect the result and was no excuse, adding Flamengo were worse in every area. He called the pitch almost unplayable and noted a FIFA window is coming, yet the surface will not pause because of the NFL. Ortiz said he did not know what to expect for the rest of the year, hoped action could be taken, and accepted that in moments like this some argue for synthetic, especially for a team that wants the ball.

Despite the complaints, Flamengo drew 1-1 with Independiente del Valle and advanced 3-1 on aggregate to the Libertadores semi-finals. They will face Estudiantes (ARG) in the next round.

Before that, Flamengo return to the Maracanã to play Red Bull Bragantino in the Brasileirão. Kick-off is 18:30, Brasília time, on Sunday 20.

Source: Coluna Do Fla

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”