Bruno Henrique reports intense pain and criticizes VAR following a violent challenge in Flamengo’s draw against Cruzeiro.
The mood at Flamengo following the 1-1 draw with Cruzeiro at the Mineirão stadium was one of frustration with the officiating. Striker Bruno Henrique was the victim of a hard tackle by Matheus Henrique just 11 minutes into the first half. The play, which resulted in a yellow card for the Cruzeiro player, sparked outrage from the Rubro-Negro, who felt that VAR failed by not calling for a review.
Injury and Bruno Henrique’s outburst
The challenge by Matheus Henrique left Bruno Henrique with severe ankle pain. In his post-match comments, the striker expressed his frustration:
I’m in a lot of pain in my ankle ligament, and what bothers me is that VAR didn’t call the referee over to review the play. He said it was a normal challenge, not high intensity, and left it at that. And it’s me who’s screwed now.
The number 27 will now be re-evaluated in Rio de Janeiro to determine the extent of the injury.
Officiating controversy and Cruzeiro’s response
Referee Yael Falcón‘s decision not to send off Matheus Henrique, even after VAR was not consulted, was the main point of contention. The incident drew comparisons to other recent episodes, further heightening tensions.
On Cruzeiro‘s side, Matheus Henrique spoke out, apologizing to Bruno Henrique and stating he had no intention of injuring his opponent. He also mentioned that the Cruzeiro side felt a foul called against them for Flamengo was nonexistent, which led to the equalizing goal.
Upcoming matches
As the team recovers from the Libertadores match, Flamengo is already shifting its focus back to the Brazilian Serie A. The Rubro-Negro faces Mirassol this Sunday (16th) at 6:30 PM (Brasília time) at the Maião stadium for the 23rd round. The return leg against Cruzeiro in the Libertadores will take place next Wednesday (19th) at the Maracanã, where Flamengo will look to secure their spot in the next round.
