Flamengo officials sharply criticized the officiating after their 1-1 draw with Bragantino at Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium last Saturday. The controversy began with player Bruno Henrique, who expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing shortly after scoring Flamengo’s goal.
The club’s football director, Bruno Spindel, and vice president Marcos Braz later escalated the criticisms, particularly targeting the VAR decisions and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF)
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VAR referees
Marcos Braz accused VAR referees of being influenced by external pressures, suggesting a ban on all communications within the VAR room except those necessary for their duties. “Interference enters through telephones,” Braz stated. “This interpretation has to come from the person who is there at the time.”
CBF
Spindel questioned the CBF’s fairness towards Flamengo in a post-match broadcast on Premiere. “We’ve sent letters before, but it’s useless. To get respect, you must expose the issues publicly,” he asserted. He highlighted the rescinded red card for Bragantino’s Luan Cândido and a missed penalty call for Luiz Araújo as game-changing oversights
LÁ E CÁ! Os travessões estão trabalhando no Nabi Abi Chedid! 👀 pic.twitter.com/RfcQ0UGHL4
— Brasileirão Betano (@Brasileirao) May 4, 2024
National Arbitration Commission
In a press room statement, Braz criticized the National Arbitration Commission for not using VAR in several clear situations and recalled an incident against Botafogo where the referee failed to apply a straightforward rule. “What we saw today is pitiful,” he commented.
Striker Bruno Henrique echoed the sentiments of unfair treatment. “They say it’s mimimi, but when it’s Flamengo, everything is different,” he remarked, pointing out the recurring refereeing inconsistencies against his team.
The debate over refereeing standards in Brazilian football continues as Flamengo calls for more transparency and fairness in the game.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the first four episodes available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. Stay tuned for upcoming releases as we keep telling this legend’s life story.
