Marcos Braz calls Flamengo's Club World Cup referee 'thief and bum' | OneFootball

Flamengo competed in the Club World Cup in February 2023

One of the most striking frustrations in Flamengo’s recent history is the club’s poor performance in the 2023 Club World Cup. However, according to Marcos Braz, former vice president of Fla, the Rubro-Negro’s semifinal elimination was the referee’s fault.

— The Romanian is a thief, a bum, and he went there to rob Flamengo! Later we found out that the Romanian spent 2 or 3 years officiating in Saudi Arabia. When the referee goes down to the locker room and we curse at him, you can tell the guy is thinking: ‘Curse me all you want, but it’s already done.’ The referee was under orders! — said the deputy, who added:

What is the context of Flamengo in the Club World Cup?

The Most Beloved won the 2022 Libertadores. Therefore, it earned the right to play in the Club World Cup, held at the beginning of the following year. Between the competitions, however, Dorival Júnior left the team and Vitor Pereira took over.

As a result, Rubro-Negro lost 3-2 to Al-Hilal (SAU) in the semifinal. On that occasion, the referee awarded two penalties to the Saudis in the first half. Then, Mengão played for and won third place, beating Al-Ahly (EGY) 4-2.

What else did Braz address in the interview?

The former Fla vice president also took the opportunity to push back against criticism of De La Cruz, who misses games from time to time due to physical issues. Braz said the Uruguayan was important in 2024, when Fla won the State Championship and the Copa do Brasil.

— First, I’m not a doctor. Second, the midfielder had more than enough backing from the coaching staff. And third, he played in World Cups and for River Plate (ARG). How did it not work out? Technically? Sportingly? He was important in 2024 — said Braz, who added:

— I talk about this subject very naturally. The player passed the medical exams. It’s very superficial to say there was a process error. De La Cruz was handled through the same process as other signings — he stressed.

What is the author’s opinion on the subject?

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