“He fooled us all, he lied” – Corinthians president slams Vítor Pereira for Flamengo defection | OneFootball

The appointment of Portuguese coach Vítor Pereira at South American champions Flamengo remains a hot topic of conversation in Brazil.

The former Porto boss was announced on a 2-year contract by the Rio de Janeiro club on Tuesday, just weeks after Pereira left fellow Brasileirão side Corinthians for personal reasons. Pereira’s defection has incurred the wrath of both the president and ex-players of his previous employers.

Pereira guided Corinthians to a 4th place finish in the Campeonato Brasileiro in the 2022 season, before revealing he would step down to take care of family issues. “I’m very sad, I really wanted to continue this project, but there’s no possibility,” Pereira said in November. “I’m not going to any club; I’m not going anywhere. I’m going home, I have to help balance the process of the illness of my mother-in-law, who is living in my house, so I have to go back there.”

However, within a week of his departure, reports surfaced that Pereira would likely be installed by recently-crowned Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo. Negotiations progressed and the 54-year-old was confirmed on Tuesday to lead the team for the upcoming 2023 campaign, causing widespread anger at Corinthians.

“What was we know is what the fans know,” said Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves . “I regret the frustration. They showed love to Vítor, but he lied. Everything we know has been passed on to the rest of you: an illness of the mother-in-law. He preferred to leave for this.

“I don’t know what his education is. An education that does not form character. Corinthians is much bigger than all of us, so we must go on with life, as always. It’s the past. We don’t control people’s character.

“He fooled everyone. The fans fell in love with him, and I am a fan too. I did everything to get him to continue. On our side there was truth, transparency, planning, working conditions. We offered everything and he lied. He thought it best to go out to take care of his mother-in-law, then he went and did something else.

“I have nothing to say to him. Flamengo saw a free professional, who was not going to continue, with a contract ending, and went after it. Flamengo has nothing to do with the story. He’s a professional who lied.”

“What he did was dirty” - Zé Elias

Pereira can expect plenty of resentment from those at the São Paulo club. Former Corinthians and Brazil midfielder Zé Elias spoke about the story on ESPN Brasil on Wednesday, saying: “It’s regrettable, because he used the illness of a family member, he didn’t have the courage to speak the truth. What he did was dirty, not right. Everyone who looks at Vítor Pereira will call him a liar.”