Should Pulgar have been sent off in Palmeiras x Flamengo? Analyst assesses

The Libertadores final, played between Palmeiras and Flamengo earlier this Saturday evening (29) at the Monumental Stadium in Lima, Peru, had its first controversy at the 30th minute of the match. Midfielder Erick Pulgar made a hard tackle on defender Bruno Fuchs, who remained on the ground with the marks of Pulgar’s cleats on his shin. Palmeiras players urged the referee to review the incident using VAR. After three minutes of stoppage, the game resumed, and Pulgar continued with just a yellow card. According to PC Oliveira, a refereeing analyst for Globo, it was a red card offense by Pulgar, as there was no attempt to play the ball. The Brazilian rivals meet in the final once again after competing for the continental title in 2021. On that occasion, Abel Ferreira’s team won 2-1 with a goal in extra time. Both clubs are three-time winners of the continental tournament alongside São Paulo, Santos, and Grêmio, completing the group of Brazilian clubs with the most titles. Therefore, the winner between Palmeiras and Flamengo will become the only four-time champion among Brazilian teams and consequently, the greatest champion of the competition among Brazilians. The Monumental Stadium is packed with a large crowd. Flamengo fans sold out their designated section, while Palmeiras supporters still had about 3,000 tickets available until last Friday (28). A total of 54,000 tickets were put on sale.