Controversy Erupts as Flamengo Allege Biased Refereeing in Corinthians Draw

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – A contentious 1-1 draw between Corinthians and Flamengo in a Brasileirão Série A match on Sunday, March 22, 2026, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with Flamengo officials publicly questioning the impartiality of the officiating crew. The dispute centers around a perceived lack of disciplinary action against Corinthians defender Gabriel Paulista for an incident involving Flamengo’s Jorginho.

Flamengo Director Accuses Referee of Double Standard

José Boto, Flamengo’s Director of Football, voiced strong criticism following the match, alleging a clear double standard in refereeing decisions. Boto drew parallels between the incident involving Gabriel Paulista and a previous red card issued to Flamengo’s Carrascal during the Supercopa do Brasil.

“More once again, we couldn’t play 11 against 11 against Corinthians,” Boto stated in the post-match press conference held in the mixed zone of Neo Química Arena. “It’s curious that, in the Supercopa, the same VAR… I believe it was the same VAR (note: Rodolpho Toski Marques was the VAR in the Supercopa) managed to identify, 30 minutes later, an aggression by Carrascal against Bidon, but today they couldn’t spot an aggression by Gabriel Paulista against Jorginho.”

Boto highlighted that the alleged foul by Paulista occurred during a set-piece situation while the ball was not in play, mirroring the circumstances of Carrascal’s dismissal. He expressed frustration that the VAR failed to intervene, despite having ample opportunity to review the play.

Refereeing Decision Under Scrutiny

PC Oliveira, a commentator for Grupo Globo, corroborated Boto’s assessment after reviewing a new angle of the incident. Oliveira stated that the footage clearly showed Paulista committing an act of aggression towards Jorginho, warranting a red card. “During the transmission I didn’t see this image from behind the goal. I’m seeing it for the first time now. The image I had seen during the transmission and I gave my assessment that there was no trigger and the image was not conclusive. Distant image, it was not possible to see the movement of the arm. From this angle, there is indeed a trigger action. It’s a red card play,” Oliveira commented.

Supercopa Context and Paulista’s Celebration

The controversy is further fueled by the recent Supercopa do Brasil, where Corinthians defeated Flamengo 2-0. Gabriel Paulista scored the opening goal in that match and celebrated with a sliding knee celebration, which he later revealed left him with grazed knees. He described the celebration as a “madness” motivated by his passion for the club.

The incident in the Supercopa, involving Carrascal’s red card, is now being used by Flamengo to argue a pattern of inconsistent officiating against them. Footage of Gabriel Paulista’s goal in the Supercopa is circulating online, adding to the heated debate.

Looking Ahead

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has yet to respond to Flamengo’s allegations. The incident is likely to spark further discussion about the standard of refereeing in Brazilian football and the role of VAR in ensuring fair play. The outcome of this situation could have implications for future matches between these two rivals.