Why Medellín fans protested against Flamengo in Libertadores | OneFootball

Match between Flamengo and Independiente Medellín (COL) was canceled

The match between Flamengo and Independiente Medellín (COL) produced a rare scene in world football. That is because, after Colombian fans created a ‘war’ scene at Atanasio Girardot Stadium, the match had to be canceled. Thus, Coluna do Fla explains the reasons behind the home fans’ protests.

Why did Medellín fans protest during the match against Flamengo?

Last Sunday (03), Independiente Medellín was eliminated from the Colombian Championship after a 2-1 defeat to Rionegro Águilas (COL). After the final whistle, the club president, Raúl Giraldo, ran onto the pitch and made provocative gestures toward his own fans.

As a result, the president’s attitude sparked outrage among Medellín supporters, who organized protests for the match against Flamengo. So, even before the ball started rolling, the atmosphere at Atanasio Girardot was already like a ‘war’ scene, which worsened after kickoff.

What happened in the Flamengo vs Medellín match?

The interruption in the match between Flamengo and Independiente Medellín came in the opening minutes of the game. On that occasion, the home team’s fans threw explosives, set fire to part of the stands, and tried to invade the pitch.

Faced with this ‘war’ scene, referee Jesús Valenzuela stopped the match, and the players returned to the locker room. However, after more than an hour of talks among those responsible for security at the venue, Conmebol canceled the match definitively.

Will Flamengo be awarded the win by forfeit?

In April 2025, during the Libertadores group stage, Fortaleza was awarded a forfeit win over Colo-Colo (CHI). On that occasion, fans of the Chilean team invaded the pitch and tried to attack the Brazilians, and as a result, Conmebol canceled the match. Therefore, if the governing body applies the same criteria, Flamengo will receive the three points.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

After the match was canceled, Flamengo begins preparing for its next fixture. This Sunday (10), the Rubro-Negro will face Grêmio at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at the club from Rio Grande do Sul’s stadium, in the 15th round of the Brasileirão. Finally, as usual, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match.

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