Pedro’s absence in training increases discomfort at Flamengo – 07/31/2023 – Sport

Assaulted by Flamengo’s physical trainer after last Saturday’s (29th) match against Atlético Mineiro, in Belo Horizonte, Pedro did not show up for training this Monday (31st). The re-presentation of the cast, which had Sunday off, was scheduled for the morning, at Ninho do Urubu.

The author of the attack, Pablo Fernández, was no longer at the training center. The Argentine was informed about his resignation late on Sunday, news that was not received with surprise. The board decided to keep coach Jorge Sampaoli in office, who now has a thorny situation to manage.

He talked to the squad in an attempt to restore some normality, but Pedro’s absence amplified the discomfort. Through his agents, the player said he was psychologically uncomfortable and also had pain in his face, hit by slaps and a punch in the locker room at the Independência stadium.

From the arena, on Saturday, Pedro went to a police station, where he gave a statement. The coach also introduced himself and was heard. Three players, Pablo, Thiago Maia and Everton, testified and corroborated the center forward’s account. He underwent a corpus delicti examination, which showed injuries to his face and a cut in his mouth.

The confusion occurred after the 26-year-old athlete spent the entire match without taking the field. When two other forwards, Luiz Araújo and Everton, were called to the game, he left the warm-up area and sat on the bench. There was still a possible replacement to be made, but the athlete got angry with the boss’s choices and interrupted his work.

Flamengo decided to punish the striker for the attitude – although it did not disclose what this punishment would be –, which made him even more displeased. The relationship with the red-black leaders is tense, who fear legal actions and, ultimately, even an attempt to terminate the contract through the courts.

Even if Pedro returns to training, it will not be done without constraints. The son of Pablo Fernández, Marcos, is part of the coaching staff, who, for the time being, is kept in the physical preparation team. And the player has a bad relationship with coach Jorge Sampaoli, which was wide open at the end of the week.

The carioca initially arrived at Flamengo on loan, in 2020. At the end of that year, the club exercised its purchase option, agreeing to pay 14 million euros (R$ 87 million, at the time) to Fiorentina. The striker, who was in the last World Cup, recently had his contract renewed, with the commitment scheduled for December 2027.