Rogério Ceni backs Flamengo, vents frustration over VAR | OneFootball

Why Did Rogério Ceni Defend Flamengo?

Coach Rogério Ceni vented in a press conference this Sunday (02), after Bahia's 2-1 victory over Red Bull Bragantino. During the conversation, the coach recalled the expulsion of Gonzalo Plata in the Flamengo x Racing (ARG) match and harshly criticized the VAR.

— I think they should create stricter rules. The Plata, the guy who provoked him should be expelled too, you need to create mechanisms, otherwise the guy comes, provokes and nothing happens to the one who provokes the action, the cause of that situation. The guy went to provoke on the ground -, he said, before concluding:

— The Brazilian player is very annoying, the goalkeepers waste a lot of time, all the coaches are annoying, you know? Now, we have to professionalize, improve the conditions for the guys. They installed VAR in Brazil, right? Man, VAR messes up a lot here. VAR delays the game, intervenes where it shouldn't, calls where it's not needed -, concluded Rogério Ceni.

What Happened to Gonzalo Plata?

In the second leg of the Libertadores semifinal, between Flamengo and Racing, Gonzalo Plata was expelled 12 minutes into the second half. On that occasion, the forward was hit and fell to the ground. In a provocative tone, defender Marcos Rojo pulled the Ecuadorian's hair.

Thus, Gonzalo Plata retaliated and slapped the Racing defender. As a result, the fourth official 'snitched' on the Flamengo forward to the referee. Consequently, the Ecuadorian received a straight red card.

Is Gonzalo Plata Out of the Final?

Due to the expulsion, Gonzalo Plata will be absent from Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores final, which will be held on November 29 in Lima, Peru. Thus, Filipe Luís's team will face Palmeiras.

What Is Flamengo's Next Game?

Meanwhile, Gonzalo Plata remains available for Flamengo for the upcoming games. This Wednesday (05), Mengão faces São Paulo at 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at Vila Belmiro, for the 32nd round of the Brasileirão.

As tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details about the match through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, Globo (open channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Flamengo x São Paulo game.

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