Started just over a week ago, the Brazilian Championship is already experiencing an arbitration crisis. The second round, held on Saturday (5) and Sunday (6), had obvious errors, complaints and the first leave of professionals by CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation).
It was a terrible start of competition for the new CBF arbitration committee, announced in February. The team is now coordinated by former São Paulo judge Rodrigo Martins Cintra, who replaced the fired Wilson Luiz Seneme and is assisted by Luiz Flávio de Oliveira, Marcelo Van Gasse, Fabrício Vilarinho, Luis Carlos Câmara Bezerra, Eveliny Almeida and Emerson Filipino Coelho.
The group has the support of CCEI (Advisory Committee of International Specialists), formed by Argentine Néstor Pitana, who begged the 2018 World Cup final, by Italian Nicola Rizzoli, responsible for the 2014 World Cup decision, and Brazilian Sandro Meira Ricci, who acted in the 2014 and 2018.
According to CBF’s statement, the board “found misconceptions committed by professionals” in the international matches x Cruzeiro and Sport x Palmeiras. Therefore, the field and video arbitration teams (VAR) that acted in these confrontations were removed.
“Unfortunately, there are moments of instructing, curing and also to push away. At this time, the arbitration committee removes the teams from the matches where, in the view of the CCEI, there were misconceptions. The removal is not simply an empty punishment, so that we can take care of the arbitrators, instruct them,” said Cintra.
The two duels cited had a direct influence of the judges on the results.
In Porto Alegre, Cruzeiro played with an athlete less since the 20th minute of the first half, when Jonathan Jesus was sent off by a foul in Wesley. The infringement, in the unanimous view of the ex-judges who today work as TV commentators-and in the view of the CBF committee itself-did not occur.
In 11 against 10, the International built a quiet 3-0 win. The game had Marcelo de Lima Henrique (CE) in the whistle and Daiane Muniz (SP) in the cabin of VAR. She said, “Marcelo, very well applied red card.”
Already the clash between Sport and Palmeiras, in Recife, had its decisive bid in the end, a penalty whistled in dispute of Raphael Veiga with Matheus Alexandre. Not even former goalkeeper Marcos, historical idol Alviverde, saw the irregularity. “I prefer to lose than win with such a penalty. It’s embarrassing.”
The judge was Bruno Arleu de Araújo (RJ), assisted – almost that – by Rodrigo Nunes de Sá (RJ), who, somehow, saw “a shim.” “The referee spoiled the game, decided to them,” lamented Sport midfielder Lucas Lima, defeated 2-1 with the penalty converted in the additions.
Gabigol, from Cruzeiro, was also angry: “Meanwhile, the concern is to climb the ball.”
It was a reference to the CBF letter to clubs and state federations last week about “specific behavior that has caused disorder”, “greatly damaging the image of the sport that has long national and international scope.” “This is a player climb the ball with both feet, in order to provoke the rival team,” explained Rodrigo Cintra, who signs the document. Stepping on the ball now results in a yellow card.
Memphis Depay used this device to gain time in the decision of the Paulista Championship, on the 27th, with his Corinthians triumph over Palmeiras. And it got annoyed on Saturday, when the team alvinegro had two goals annulled by the duo Anderson Daronco (RS)/Rodrigo D’Alonso Ferreira (SC), contested decisions that did not prevent black and white victory 3-0.
Daronco did not whip or miss, and D’Abonso did not recommend the video review when Memphis took a hard entry of Lucas Piton. With a very swollen ankle, the Dutch became embezzled and did not even trave to Colombia, where Corinthians will face América de Cali on Tuesday (8), by the South American Cup.
“Var saw everything,” he mocked on Instagram, displaying the injured region. “It was a lack of red card, but instead of seeing this, they prefer to make rules like not climbing the ball. Brazil is the country of football, and soccer is not just thrown with their feet, they play with their minds. They have to do a better job.”
Pressured, in addition to departing the referees from two matches, the CBF announced a training day for the referees next Monday (14), in Rio de Janeiro. The problems will not be resolved in one day, with “a series of activities in the field of the Air Force Club (Caer) and at the Center of Excellence of Brazilian Arbitration (CEAB)”, but it was necessary to give some response in the field of public relations.
The terrible round of the arbitration was shortly after the publication of a report by Piauí magazine that pointed to the spending of CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues, while arbitration funds were cut. Even with an annual revenue of over $ 1 billion, the confederation shelved a project of $ 60 million from a referee training center.
The solution of the time is a group dynamic on the 14th. The 15th will already have a real game, with the beginning of the third round of the Brazilian.
“We are anticipating the professionalization of arbitration, which starts with this pilot project next week. As a former soccer referee, we understand that this work in the field is fundamental, as a race technique, for the referee to seek positions, angles and decide correctly,” said Alício Pena Júnior, general coordinator of CEAB, another organ of Brazilian arbitration. “Let’s work in the field to produce positive results!”
