Leila Pereira defends Andreas Pereira, cites Flamengo incident amid penalty spot row | OneFootball

Palmeiras president Leila Pereira has defended Andreas Pereira after the midfielder was accused of scuffing the penalty spot during the Palmeiras v Corinthians derby, pointing to a flashpoint against Flamengo last season to make her case.

"Memphis did not miss the penalty because of Andreas. He missed because he struck it badly, full stop. People are splitting hairs. Memphis slipped several times in different areas of the pitch. Did those slips happen because Andreas dug up the entire pitch at Corinthians’ stadium?"

She was speaking to GE.

She added: "We face Flamengo, Gómez is pushed in the box and the referee does not give the penalty. Is that what they want, for Palmeiras to be harmed again?"

The incident she referenced came late in the Brasileirão at the Maracanã, when Palmeiras protested about a possible push on Gómez, and Flamengo went on to win 3-2.

As criticism of Andreas continues, Flamengo prepare for another decisive outing this season, facing Botafogo in the Carioca quarter-finals on Sunday 15 at 17:30, Brasília time, at Estádio Nilton Santos.

Source: Coluna Do Fla