Relive Santos' most controversial refereeing moments this season | OneFootball

The 2025 season was marked by tense moments for Santos both on and off the field, with refereeing at the center of several controversies throughout the Brazilian Championship. Amid the struggle at the bottom of the table, questionable decisions, unawarded penalties, and VAR interventions fueled the dissatisfaction of the board, coaching staff, and Santos fans, making the referee a recurring character in Peixe’s year.

Gazeta Esportiva has compiled the main refereeing controversies involving the Baixada Santista team. Check them out!

Ignored penalties against Sport and Atlético-MG

There were many complaints in the matches against Sport and Atlético-MG. Against the team from Pernambuco, at Vila Belmiro, Santos asked for a penalty on Guilherme right at the start of the game, but referee Felipe Fernandes de Lima considered the play normal. Then, against Atlético-MG, Neymar went down in the box after a tackle from Gustavo Scarpa—a move experts analyzed as a clear penalty—but once again, the referee let play continue.

(Photo: Raul Baretta/Santos FC)

Unawarded penalty against Bahia and complaint to the CBF

One of the main controversies happened in the 2-0 defeat to Bahia in Salvador. At 21 minutes into the second half, after a header from Gustavo Caballero, the ball struck defender Santiago Mingo’s arm inside the box. Santos players immediately protested, but referee Rafael Rodrigo Klein let play continue. The decision sparked a strong reaction from the board, which met with the CBF to formally express their indignation. The incident gained even more attention after public protests from football director Alexandre Mattos.

(Photo: Raul Baretta/Santos)

Outrage at Nilton Santos against Botafogo

Another remarkable episode occurred in the match against Botafogo at Nilton Santos. Upset with the refereeing of Rodrigo José Pereira de Lima, Alexandre Mattos even invaded the pitch at halftime to protest. The director questioned the uncalled foul on Lautaro Díaz at the start of the play that led to Botafogo’s second goal and described the VAR’s performance as “catastrophic,” also citing controversial decisions in previous matches.

(Photo: Raul Baretta/Santos)

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