CBF accuses Abel’s assistant of xenophobia and will sue STJD; club rebate

The insinuations and comparisons made by the Portuguese João Martins, assistant coach of Palmeiras, after the 2-2 draw with Athletico, on Sunday (2), were considered xenophobic by the CBF, in a note released this Monday (3), and will be taken to the STJD.

What bothered the entity the most was the fact that Martins said that the Brazilian Championship is only considered competitive because the “system” does not let the best teams become dominant as it happens in Europe. The assistant also criticized the behavior of Brazilian players, which, in his opinion, makes national football look like “theatre”.

“The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) deeply regrets what was seen yesterday (02/07) by the assistant coach of Palmeiras, João Martins, assigned to the post-match press conference. The regrettable act went far beyond the weekly complaints of the arbitration. What happened, in fact, was a parade of rudeness and a childish and even xenophobic attempt to reduce the relevance of Brazilian football in Europe, even showing ignorance of the championship itself, which has already had three champions, two champions, with several teams winning in a row”, says the beginning of the text.

The statement also says that the CBF will send a video containing the Palmeiras professional’s statements to the STJD so that he “reveals what would be the scheme or system in Brazilian football that does not allow the best to win”.

As for the criticism of Brazilian athletes, the organization countered Martins saying that the argument does not correspond to reality, pointing out that “Brazil is the country in the world that has the most players playing abroad, including in the Portuguese national team”.

The revolt of the Portuguese auxiliary was due to the non-expulsion of the defender Zé Ivaldo, who was only punished with a yellow card for elbowing Endrick inside the area, after review by VAR, in a bid in which a penalty was scored in favor of Palmeiras. Then, the boy from Palmeiras wasted the kick.

“The current management of the CBF’s arbitration has never, at any time, been so transparent and so exposed, giving weekly public satisfactions, including recognizing eventual errors”, defended the CBF. “We are the only country in the world to offer technological advances in the stadiums, with the screens showing the highlights of the match in real time. In fact, the move in question, which was the subject of complaints, was accompanied by the entire stadium, by players and fans”, concluded.

The note also highlights the investment made in “improving arbitration” and the training offered to referees, citing courses and preparations that will be carried out in the coming days. “Mistakes in refereeing, by players and coaches, happen everywhere, including and especially in Europe. They are part of the process, of the football mechanism, which is not done by machines. Therefore, nothing justifies what we saw yesterday and which was widely publicized by the press around the world”, says the end of the text.

Palmeiras rebuts CBF

A few hours after the CBF issued its statement, Palmeiras released a note in which it classifies the entity’s stance as “aggressive”, questions the xenophobia cited by the confederation and points out a series of errors against the team throughout the Brazilian Championship this year and the last seasons. In its response text, the São Paulo club said it trusted the judgment of the STJD.

“Given the official note released by the CBF and the repeated serious mistakes committed against Palmeiras, we believe that this is the opportune moment to demonstrate, in public, our indignation. We do not want to benefit, but we demand that the rules be applied with equality. in the independence of the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD), evoked by the CBF, and we are convinced that the body will give assistant João Martins the balanced treatment that he deserves”, says an excerpt from the statement.

To defend itself, Palmeiras highlighted eight questions that, according to the association, aim to “defend the rights of the club and contribute to the improvement of the football product”. The club claims that comments similar to those of João Martins were made this same weekend by other figures involved in Brazilian football, but the CBF note was “addressed exclusively to Palmeiras”. The club did not say in the statement which were the professionals who commented on the subject.

In addition, Palmeiras also highlighted the incongruity of the CBF’s criticism when criticizing the Portuguese professional, since the entity “is looking for a foreign coach to command the Brazilian team”. Criticism of the performance of arbitration and VAR were also among the club’s questions to the entity. Of the eight points raised, four refer to errors against the club or the Arbitration Commission, chaired by Wilson Seneme.

In the note from Palmeiras, this lack of Zé Ivaldo on Endrick was remembered, as well as the action of VAR in the classic with São Paulo, in the 2022 Copa do Brasil, which resulted in the elimination of Palmeiras. “Why has the CBF Arbitration Commission, chaired by Wilson Seneme, never apologized to Palmeiras for the serious error committed by VAR in last year’s Copa do Brasil?”, addressed the alviverde club.

understand the case

Substitute for the suspended Abel Ferreira on the Palmeiras bench against Athletico, João Martins gave a press conference quite excited and suggested that the referees are making deliberate errors to harm the São Paulo team in the competition. “We understand that Brazilian football conveys an image that it is the most competitive in the world because they win several (different teams). But they win several because, often, they don’t let the best win. We understand that it is bad for the system for Palmeiras to win two years in a row”, he declared.

Showing irritation, the assistant made several attacks on Brazilian football amid criticism of the performance of referee Jean Pierre Gonçalves Lima. “. It’s not worth it tomorrow to have the president showing images and frames to justify incompetence and gross errors”, he said. “That’s why in Europe, they don’t see games in Brazil; Because many times it looks more like theater than football. Then, a very well-marked penalty because he didn’t see it, he must be tired, he lacks physical preparation”, he concluded.

For the Portuguese, Brazilian football has “little credibility” in other countries. “Here there is little credibility out there: it is not because of the lack of quality of the players, but because of the lack of transparency. They can continue to expel us, but we will fight until the last drop of sweat for the good of football and Palmeiras.” The press conference ended up being interrupted by Palmeiras’ director of football, Anderson Barros.