Brazilian football discussions have become dominated by controversy, according to columnist Marcelo Bechler, who says refereeing decisions and off-field disputes often receive more attention than the game itself.
Writing about recent coverage of Palmeiras against Vasco, Bechler points to debate over a penalty appeal, a red card for Saldivia and the failure to send off Lescano. He says those incidents, along with comments from Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira and a Vasco official, took up much of the conversation.
He also cites discussion of a dispute between Seedorf and journalists, a penalty involving Moledo against Internacional, and a spot-kick awarded to Mirassol against Chapecoense. Bechler contrasts the Mirassol incident with a similar play in a PSG-Barcelona match, where the attacker stayed on his feet and play continued without a VAR intervention. In the Brazilian match, he says, the attacker went down and players pressed the referee, who reviewed the incident and upheld the penalty.
For Bechler, the focus on such decisions leaves little room for questions about tactics. He asks why Palmeiras stopped pressing after taking a 1-0 lead, why Vasco did not use two fast wingers to create counterattacking opportunities, and how Seedorf will fit Memphis into a Corinthians setup that currently has no second-striker role.
The columnist says he does not dismiss refereeing or behind-the-scenes issues as irrelevant: he acknowledges that they are part of football and that a match is shaped throughout the week as well as during its 90 minutes. His criticism is that audiences and commentators concentrate on whatever creates the most noise, while giving less attention to the teams’ performances and decisions on the pitch.
Sources: Folha Esporte.