Flamengo add referee scouting to brief Leonardo Jardim before matches | OneFootball

Flamengo have introduced a referee-scouting service to support match preparation, with president Luiz Eduardo Baptista saying tailored dossiers now reach Leonardo Jardim and his staff before each game.

According to Globo.com, the club receive a 20-page RefData report that has been shared with the backroom team and players since the second half of 2025. Cruzeiro first adopted the service in 2023, with Botafogo using it last year.

The tool was developed by João Marcello Costa’s team from the office of long-time Flamengo lawyer Michel Assef Filho, an idea first pitched when Portuguese coach Pepa arrived at Cruzeiro in 2023. It is designed to help coaches, particularly those from abroad, understand the tendencies of Brazilian officials.

RefData’s database blends official match reports and other public sources with in-house analysis and manual validation, supported by artificial intelligence. A recent example profiled Fifa referee Rodrigo José Pereira de Lima as a disciplinarian reflected in a high volume of cards. Among 27 referees with more than five matches, he ranked third for bookings for dissent and 23rd for penalties awarded to home teams, while reports also include an xR index and list all VAR assistants assigned.

Baptista indicated Flamengo assess how referees handle home and away sides and suggested they know which officials they would prefer at the Maracanã or on the road. CBF policy states appointments are based on history, experience and form, with clubs able to meet the commission but having no vetoes or preferences.

Former Flamengo and Cruzeiro coach Zé Ricardo has used such insights in team talks, warning players about high-carding officials and advising on how an official prefers to be addressed. The aim is to shape behaviour on the pitch and potentially gain marginal tactical advantages.

Source: Globo.com