Author: Vishwajit Sawant
In a highly controversial game, Palmeiras
Palmeiras gave up an early 2-0 lead and were held to a 2-2 draw by Athletico-PR in the Brasileirão.
. The result left a bitter taste for the Palmeiras, who complained a lot about the refereeing. João Martins, assistant to coach Abel Ferreira, made some blunt comments, expressing his frustration and suggesting that the Brazilian system prevents the best team from winning.
In a post-match press conference, João Martins vehemently criticized an important decision that led to a penalty for Athletico-PR at the start of the game. He argued that the subsequent yellow card shown to the defender, instead of a red card, greatly influenced the course of the match, in Palmeiras’ view. The assistant coach also said that there is a deliberate attempt to prevent Palmeiras from winning the Brasileirão for the second year running.
Martins expressed his belief that Brazilian soccer presents an image of competitiveness due to the many winners, but often doesn’t allow the best team to emerge victorious. He made a comparison with Europe, where a few dominant teams consistently stand out through their continuous hard work. The assistant coach also criticized the disciplinary decisions, citing the first yellow card shown to Gustavo Garcia for time wasting and the subsequent sending off, as well as the perceived lack of transparency in the refereeing.
Despite this controversy, João Martins praised the performance of his players and promised to keep fighting until the end. He expressed his gratitude for the team’s commitment and asked them to do their best for the club, emphasizing that they will not remain silent in the face of perceived injustices and promised to fight for the good of Palmeiras and the sport itself.
The draw leaves Palmeiras frustrated at having missed the chance to secure all three points. The team will try to regroup and stay focused as they strive to overcome the challenges they face in their quest for success in the Brasileirão.