Palmeiras Supporters Protest System Using Flamengo Plays in Video
The organized fan group Mancha Alviverde published a controversial video questioning refereeing in the Brasileirão, using plays involving Flamengo to support a theory of persecution against Palmeiras.
The fierce race for the lead in the Brazilian Serie A between Palmeiras and Flamengo has gained a new chapter off the field. Upset by the shrinking lead in the standings, Mancha Alviverde, the main organized fan group of the São Paulo club, released an audiovisual material attacking what they call the “system” that, according to them, harms Abel Ferreira‘s team. The video recalls moments from the 2025 Libertadores final to support their discourse.
In the recording, the group states:
“We see the rigor of the law that awakens fiercely for some, but sleeps in splendid cradle for others. The same gesture, the same choice, going through tribunals with absurdly different weights. Criminal decisions being treated as misfortune when they affect us, and as scandal when they favor us”.
Use of Flamengo Plays in the Video
The production uses specific images to illustrate the thesis of favoritism towards Flamengo (nicknamed ‘Mais Querido’). Among the highlighted plays, midfielder Erick Pulgar is shown in a dispute against Bruno Fuchs during the 2025 Libertadores final. In the organized group’s view, the Flamengo player should have been sent off on that occasion. Additionally, the video recalls a shove by Jorginho on defender Gustavo Gómez in the second half of last season’s Brazilian Serie A, a play that, according to the fans, should have resulted in a penalty.
Context of the Protest
The fans’ tone of indignation gained strength after Flamengo reduced the gap in the standings to six points, following Flamengo’s victory over Vitória and Palmeiras’ stumble against Internacional in the 22nd round. The narrative of the “system” even evokes a controversial statement made by João Martins, assistant coach to Abel Ferreira, in 2023, when he claimed something was preventing the São Paulo club from winning the national title.
However, the content published by the fan group omitted plays where Palmeiras itself benefited or was not penalized, such as Raphael Veiga stepping on Jorge Carrascal in the same continental final, or Allan‘s tackle on Tapia, which was ignored by the referees in favor of other rivals.
M360 Team’s View
Regarding the movement, the M360 Team analyzed the fans’ stance as a pressure strategy. In their view:
“To me, it sounds like an early or preventive cry. ‘Let’s complain right now, because if we lose the lead, we’ll say we warned them about the system.’ In reality, it borders on victimhood. What they call a ‘system’ is just the reality of Brazilian football. One day a player’s team will be benefited and, the next, prejudiced. Palmeiras’ Barboza kicked Internacional’s Carbonero in the head in the last round, but wasn’t sent off. Where was the ‘system’ in that play?”.
The expectation now is how the refereeing and the other clubs will react to the external pressure, at a decisive moment when any mistake can determine the Brazilian Serie A champion. Flamengo remains focused on the remainder of the championship, ignoring the controversies and seeking to further close the gap to the top of the table.
By Equipe M360
