A polêmica expulsão de Hulk contra o Palmeiras

Expelling the main player on the field just to get more attention than the spectacle itself is not a new thing. Back in the 1960s, Armando Marques loved to pick on Pelé. He even expelled the King from the field. Mr. Édson was no saint, it’s true, but he always stood for righteousness on the field and respect for the referees. And yet, if Armando Marques could, he would have expelled him all the time.

Well, history repeated itself in a comedic way. Referee Rodrigo José Pereira expelled Hulk from the field in Palmeiras’ 4-0 victory against Atlético Mineiro, at Arena MRV. It was outrageous. He claimed to be offended by the player twice, hence giving him two consecutive yellow cards and then the red one. According to the match report, the reasons for the decision were trivial. In the heat of the game, it’s common for athletes to curse or even face the referee chest to chest. It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.

In the age of VAR, a referee’s unilateral decision should have been questioned, or better yet, checked through images and audio. The recordings are there to be seen and heard. Atlético Mineiro was severely disadvantaged by this. Rodrigo José Pereira did influence the score. He destabilized the nerves of Atlético’s players. Against a well-rounded and disciplined team like Palmeiras, it’s the equivalent of awarding two penalties against them. The ref succeeded: he got more attention than Hulk. He was more realistic than the king.

And that’s my final word!