😠 Flamengo's Gabigol criticises the 'state' of Boavista's pitch | OneFootball

Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa had some harsh words for the underfoot conditions during Saturday’s draw at Boavista.

Gabigol made his debut in this season’s Campeonato Carioca at the Estádio Elcyr Resende de Mendonça, but he failed to score on his return to action for the Rubro-Negro.

And the 24-year-old insisted the suboptimal surface played its part in the Mengão’s disappointing performance.

“I think everyone saw the state of the field on TV,” Gabigol said in the post-match press conference.

“When we arrived here, we were scared. The course is really bad. This hindered our possession of the ball, our submission. Clearly, if it were in a better field, I think the result could be different.”

Barbosa is the first senior player to be involved in the competition for Flamengo, as the rest of the first-team squad work their way back to fitness after a break following their Brasileirão success last month.

“I was very anxious to be able to come back soon, to play. So whenever I have a little game and I can play, regardless of where it is, I’ll want to,” he said.

Flamengo are level on points with Volta Redonda at the top of the Carioca table, but enjoy top spot as a result of their superior goal difference.