Palmeiras goes up to CBF in ‘João Martins case’ and questions xenophobia

O palm trees responded to the note issued by CBF regarding the strong statements of Joao Martins after the draw with Athletico-PR last Sunday, the 2nd. The Portuguese made a series of criticisms of the Brasileirão and even said that the system will not let Verdão be national champion twice in a row. After that, this Monday, 3, the Brazilian Football Confederation announced that it will take measures in the STJD against the strong statements of Abel Ferreira’s assistant.

In response, Palmeiras made it clear that the CBF was “aggressive” in its official note and raised some questions regarding the arbitration. In addition, the club reiterated that it will believe in the judgment and integrity of the Superior Court of Sports Justice to analyze the friction between the Brazilian Football Confederation and Verdão.

See the note released by Palmeiras!

“In view of the aggressive official note released this Monday (3) by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras proposes some questions, always in the sense of defending the rights of the club and contributing to the improvement of the football product:

– Why is the CBF statement addressed exclusively to Palmeiras, while professionals from another Serie A team also made comments similar to those of assistant coach João Martins yesterday?

– Why did the opinion of a Portuguese professional on Brazilian football cause so much discomfort to the CBF if the entity itself, as is public knowledge, is looking for a foreign coach to lead the Brazilian national team?

– What would João Martins’ “xenophobic” conduct have been? Praise the quality of Brazilian players?

– If the management of the Arbitration Commission invests so much in technology, why is our VAR unable to objectively point out whether or not a ball crossed the goal line, as happened in the recent duel between Palmeiras and Bahia, for the Brazilian?

– Why was the athlete Zé Ivaldo, from Athletico-PR, not expelled yesterday, after hitting striker Endrick in the back of the neck, in a bid reviewed by VAR?

– Why in the game between Palmeiras and São Paulo, for the 2022 Copa do Brasil, did VAR not draw the offside line in the bid that led to our opponent’s goal and which cost us the elimination? Why is the review image for this play gone?

– Why has the CBF Arbitration Commission, chaired by Wilson Seneme, never apologized to Palmeiras for the serious error committed by VAR in the Copa do Brasil last year?

– Why did Palmeiras, in the next round after the most recent Fifa Date, not be able to count on any of its three athletes called up for the Brazilian National Team?

Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, over the years, has always been concerned with building a healthy partnership with the Brazilian Football Confederation. About three weeks ago, president Leila Pereira was at the entity’s headquarters, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), to talk to Wilson Seneme, from whom she heard the promise of immediate improvements in arbitration.

The following week, the vice-president of the Arbitration Commission, Emerson Carvalho, and the VAR technical manager, Periclés Bassols, held a lecture for the club’s professionals at the Football Academy, also with the presence of president Leila Pereira.

However, in view of the official note released by the CBF and the repeated serious mistakes committed against Palmeiras, we believe that this is the opportune moment to demonstrate, in public, our indignation. We don’t want to be benefited, but we demand that the rules be applied with isonomy.

We trust in the independence of the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD), evoked by the CBF, and we are convinced that the body will give assistant João Martins the balanced treatment that he deserves”.

Review João Martins’ statement!

During the press conference, João Martins did not mince his words and made it clear that: “Glad it’s me here today. We understand that Brazilian football conveys an image that it is the most competitive in the world because several teams win. But several win because, often, they don’t let the best win. That’s what happened again today. It’s bad for the system that Palmeiras wins two years in a row”.

“Across Europe, there are always two or three teams that always win because they are the best. They work to be the best day in and day out, which is what we do. We will fight until the end, even if they don’t let us. No problem. We’re going to fight and do our best, that’s what we’re paid for. That’s why we’re in a fantastic club”, he argued. After this declaration, the CBF even promised a more rigid attitude in the STJD.