Referee steals the spotlight after Flamengo's narrow win | OneFootball

Flamengo’s 1-0 victory over Atlético MG at the Maracanã saw not only Léo Ortiz’s winning header but also intense post-match scrutiny of referee Ramon Abatti Abel and his handling of key game incidents, according to Lance and UOL.

Much of the controversy focused on a pivotal first-half incident involving Fausto Vera and Gonzalo Plata. Late in the opening period, Plata was sent through on goal, outpacing Vera before being brought down just outside the area. Abel initially signaled a foul and issued Vera a yellow card. The VAR intervened, urging a review for a possible penalty or denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity. After consulting the monitor, Abel upheld his original decision: no penalty, and only a yellow card for Vera.

This judgment divided commentators and fans. Mauro Cezar, via his personal social media, was sharply critical of Abel’s overall control of the match, remarking the referee “does not understand what football is” and arguing that routine physical contests were immediately whistled as fouls, often without merit. Cezar took particular issue with Vera remaining on the pitch, contending, “With this referee, the player just has to fall at the slightest contact and he’ll get a foul. That’s not football.”

Other journalists and pundits also weighed in. Several, cited by Lance, insisted that Vera should have received a straight red for being the last defender. They argued that denying Plata a clear opportunity, regardless of whether he had full possession, warranted a dismissal. This view found support among some Flamengo supporters, who felt deprived of a numerical advantage in a tightly contested match.

However, UOL’s Alicia Klein took a different stance, agreeing the foul occurred outside the area — correctly leading to the overturn of the initial penalty decision — and adding that, in her assessment, Plata was not fully in control of the ball at the time. For Klein, this undermined the case for a red card, as a clear scoring chance had not yet materialized. She conceded confusion stemmed from inconsistent communication and on-field chaos during the review.

Another moment in the spotlight came in the second half, when Flamengo appealed for a penalty after contact between Gabriel Menino and Arrascaeta in the box. Again, opinions differed. Klein stated she would have awarded a penalty, while José Trajano said contact occurred but suggested Arrascaeta may have been already on his way down.

Ultimately, Flamengo secured three points and climbed to the top of the table, but referee Abel’s performance sparked discussion more heated than much of the football itself. With both clubs set to meet again in the Copa do Brasil’s round of 16 this week, scrutiny on officiating is only likely to intensify.

(Sources: Lance, UOL)

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