Author: Soorya G
Flamengo beat Olimpia-PAR 1-0 at the Maracanã stadium in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores.
in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16. The only goal of the match was scored by Bruno Henrique in the second half, thanks to a fine cross from Gabigol.
Pedro, who had been involved in an argument with the club’s fitness coach, did not take part in the match. The striker was punished for refusing to warm up in a previous match against Atlético-MG. After the match, coach Jorge Sampaoli spoke about the situation involving Pedro.
“All the people who work with me at Flamengo, from the cook to the assistant, are my people. Pedro is my person. I have to protect him. Every relationship, every situation has to stay within our limits. I would never talk about my player, never. Pedro wasn’t here today because the club imposed a suspension. He’ll be with us tomorrow. If he’s fit, it will be my decision whether he plays or not“Sampaoli explained.
The coach added that the matter had been “resolved” and commented: “I consider it an isolated incident. Pablo is a fellow fighter, but he made a mistake and paid for it. Honestly, this subject is beyond me. My aim is always to leave a footballing legacy wherever I am; that’s why I came here. I arrived at a time when the club was going through a major institutional and footballing crisis and, step by step, we are resolving it. What happened hurt me deeply, but we have to move on.“
However, Sampaoli has not confirmed whether Pedro will play in Flamengo’s next match, against Cuiabá on Sunday at the Arena Pantanal. After the incident, Pedro filed a police report in Belo Horizonte on Saturday, detailing the assault by Flamengo’s fitness coach Pablo Fernández. The report indicated that the injuries to Pedro’s face and mouth were registered at the Institute of Forensic Medicine.
The police report revealed that midfielder Thiago Maia and striker Everton Cebolinha testified at the police station, giving similar accounts to those of Pedro. Fernández was reportedly unhappy to see the striker sitting on the bench while other substitutes were warming up. In the dressing room, the fitness coach allegedly reprimanded the player more forcefully and assaulted Pedro. According to the police report, Pedro said that after the match against Atlético-MG, he was in the dressing room, using his phone and talking to friends and family, when the fitness coach approached him.