Is Carrascal’s expulsion at half-time the rule? Was the red card legal?

A expulsion from Carrascal in the Brazilian Super Cup occurred in a manner fully supported by the rules of football. In the last play of the first half, the Flamengo midfielder hit Breno Bidon, from Corinthians, in the face, generating immediate complaints from the players on the field for possible aggression. Referee Rafael Klein (FIFA-RS) even carried out an initial check with the VAR before the break and, at that moment, maintained the decision not to issue a card. With the final whistle of the first stage, the teams went down to the changing rooms, but the VAR team continued to analyze the play in more depth and identified the occurrence of violent conduct.

RED CARD! Before the start of the second half, Rafael Klein went to the monitor to review Carrascal’s move on Breno Bidon. The Colombian ended up being sent off for the play in the first half.#soccer #Flemish #corinthians #supercopadobrasil #ge pic.twitter.com/kB5vXOs0FL

— ge (@geglobo) February 1, 2026

Before the match resumed, during the break, Klein was called to the monitor, reviewed the images and decided to change the decision on the field, issuing a direct red card to Carrascal for a move that occurred in the first half. The change was possible because, as determined by Rule 5 of the IFAB Rules of the Game, the referee can correct a mistaken decision until the match is restarted. The VAR protocol reinforces this understanding by allowing the review of direct expulsions within this same period, including half-time.

Despite questions on social media, the expulsion was legal, protocol and applied within the limits established by the rule, as the ball had not yet rolled again for the second half.

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