Back-pass debate: Referee explains Flamengo v Cruzeiro incident | OneFootball

Varela touched the ball and, subsequently, Rossi caught it with his hands, which caught the rivals' attention

Flamengo and Cruzeiro ended in a 0-0 draw on Thursday (02) in a closely contested match. However, what caught the rivals' attention in the 26th round of the Brasileirão was a supposed back-pass incident. Nonetheless, referee Paulo Caravina claims there was no officiating error there.

— According to the Rule Book (which requires the pass from the teammate to the goalkeeper to be deliberate/intended to be considered illegal), Varela did not make an intentional pass to Rossi; he merely left the ball while trying to play out — explains Caravina.

— If it were considered a back-pass, an infraction that should be punished with an Indirect Free Kick at the spot where the goalkeeper touched the ball with his hand, the goalkeeper would not receive any card, as the infraction would be his for handling the ball after a deliberate touch from a teammate, which did not occur in the analyzed play — adds the referee from the Mato Grosso Federation.

Did Varela pass to Rossi?

Still in the first half at Maracanã, Rossi saved and parried a ball within the area. Thus, the full-back Varela ran to prevent a rebound and made a touch, but Flamengo's goalkeeper caught it with his hands and the game continued.

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The incident caused a 'collective outburst' from the rivals, who pointed out a back-pass, which would result in an indirect free kick for Cruzeiro inside Flamengo's area. However, referee Paulo Caravina, from the Mato Grosso Federation, stated that there was no infraction in Rossi's action.

Was there a refereeing error in the Flamengo vs. Cruzeiro game?

Referee Ramon Abatti Abel was a topic in other incidents, besides the one between Rossi and Varela. With different criteria and many fouls, the referee disrupted the flow of the match. Thus, the game was fragmented and ended in a draw.

When is Flamengo's next game?

Hoping for better officiating, Flamengo faces Bahia this Sunday (05) in Salvador, for the 27th round of the Brasileirão. The match kicks off at 6:30 PM (Brasília time) at Arena Fonte Nova, with full coverage by Coluna do Fla.

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