Protests against board overshadow Santos and São Paulo draw at Vila Belmiro | OneFootball

Protests overshadowed the match between Santos and São Paulo at Vila Belmiro in the second round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, with demonstrations before, during and after the game aimed at president Marcelo Teixeira and executive director Alexandre Mattos.

An organised group remained silent throughout the first half. According to Diario Do Peixe, criticism swelled minutes after Santos took the lead, and a strike from Zé Rafael in first-half stoppage time did not cool the mood.

Discontent intensified during the interval, when banners criticised the club's leadership and the Military Police, referencing the death of supporter Alex Nunes Pinheiro do Carmo, known as Acarajé, in an incident at Neo Química Arena. Insults were directed at club figures and the wider management was challenged.

After the final whistle, protests continued and a significant share of the crowd joined in, amplifying calls for reinforcements and for changes in the club's administration. The match finished 1-1.

Fans called for sweeping departures, urged the board to pay attention and demanded a team capable of contesting titles, while also questioning the idea of battling against relegation. Some chants targeted the current hierarchy directly, declaring that the fight was now with Teixeira.

Santos are next in action on Sunday 8, away to Noroeste in the Campeonato Paulista at 4pm, at the Alfredo de Castilho stadium in Bauru.

Source: Diario Do Peixe