A clear obstruction, with the defender's leg—the intensity is the referee's call
No coração de São Paulo, onde rivalidades históricas moldam identidades e alimentam paixões geracionais, o Palmeiras avançou à final do Paulistão com uma vitória de 1 a 0 sobre o São Paulo — resultado que chegou envolto na névoa perene das decisões arbitrais contestadas. Abel Ferreira, treinador português que já aprendeu a navegar as correntes turbulentas do futebol paulista, escolheu defender publicamente o pênalti que selou o destino do clássico, invocando não apenas a lógica da jogada, mas a memória coletiva de erros que, em outros momentos, pesaram contra o seu clube. O que estava em jogo não era apenas uma vaga na final, mas a velha questão humana sobre justiça, percepção e a inevitável subjetividade que habita toda decisão tomada sob pressão.
- Um pênalti polêmico sobre Vitor Roque, marcado pelo árbitro Flávio Rodrigues de Souza, decidiu o clássico e imediatamente eclipsou tudo o que aconteceu dentro de campo.
- Abel Ferreira, que inicialmente resistiu a comentar a arbitragem, acabou tomando a palavra para defender a decisão com convicção — e com a memória afiada de um erro do VAR em 2022 que beneficiou o São Paulo.
- O São Paulo pressionou com uma formação móvel e criativa, três zagueiros e Oscar recuado, tornando a primeira etapa um exercício de resistência para o Palmeiras.
- A escalação de Vitor Roque no lugar de Flaco López — em boa fase e autor de gol na rodada anterior — revelou a aposta tática de Ferreira por mobilidade e verticalidade neste jogo específico.
- Palmeiras e Corinthians se reencontram numa final estadual pela primeira vez desde 2020, mas a disputa já transborda para fora do campo: FPF e CBF travam uma queda de braço sobre as datas dos jogos decisivos.
Abel Ferreira chegou à coletiva pós-jogo com a postura de quem preferia deixar a polêmica morrer sozinha. Mas o pênalti que garantiu a vitória do Palmeiras por 1 a 0 sobre o São Paulo, na semifinal do Paulistão no Allianz Parque, era grande demais para ser ignorado. O treinador português mudou de ideia e foi direto: a obstrução de Arboleda sobre Vitor Roque era evidente. A intensidade do contato poderia ser debatida, mas o impedimento ao movimento do atacante, para ele, era inegável.
Ferreira não falou como alguém alheio à história da arbitragem nos clássicos paulistas. Ele lembrou, sem precisar detalhar muito, de uma Copa do Brasil de 2022 em que o VAR deixou de traçar as linhas de impedimento corretamente numa jogada que resultou em pênalti para o São Paulo — erro reconhecido posteriormente pela confederação. A mensagem era clara: equívocos arbitrais acontecem dos dois lados. Desta vez, na sua leitura, a decisão foi acertada.
Do lado de fora da controvérsia, Ferreira fez questão de elogiar o adversário. O São Paulo jogou com inteligência tática — três zagueiros, Oscar mais recuado — e criou dificuldades reais durante boa parte da partida. A escolha de Vitor Roque como titular, preterindo Flaco López em boa fase, foi uma aposta calculada: o jogo pedia verticalidade e mobilidade, e Roque entregou o pênalti e uma chance clara para Facundo Torres, que Rafael defendeu bem.
Agora o Palmeiras mira a final contra o Corinthians — um confronto que não acontecia no Paulistão desde 2020. As datas, porém, já são motivo de tensão: a FPF e a CBF divergem sobre o calendário, com o risco de ambas as equipes perderem jogadores convocados para seleções. O Corinthians, como melhor campanha, tem o direito de mandar o jogo decisivo na Neo Química Arena. Dentro e fora de campo, a final promete ser tão disputada quanto o clássico que a antecedeu.
Abel Ferreira sat in the postgame press conference with visible reluctance. He had just guided Palmeiras past São Paulo with a 1-0 victory at the Allianz Parque on Monday night, a result that sent his team to the Paulistão final. But the win came wrapped in controversy—a penalty kick awarded to Vitor Roque in a moment that would dominate the conversation far more than the quality of play.
The Palmeiras coach had said he preferred not to discuss refereeing decisions. Then he changed his mind. Referee Flávio Rodrigues de Souza had awarded the penalty, and Ferreira wanted to explain why the call was correct. Looking at the play involving Roque and São Paulo defender Arboleda, Ferreira saw what he believed was obvious: a clear obstruction. Whether the contact carried enough force to warrant the whistle was, he acknowledged, a matter of interpretation. But the obstruction itself, in his view, was undeniable.
Ferreira's defense of the decision carried weight because he was not naive about refereeing in São Paulo derbies. He had been at Palmeiras long enough to remember moments that cut the other way. Without elaborating extensively, he referenced past incidents—specifically a Copa do Brasil match from 2022 when Palmeiras and São Paulo met in the round of 16. That day, São Paulo lost 2-1 but advanced on penalty kicks, their advancement built partly on a goal that came from a penalty decision the VAR had failed to properly adjudicate. The confederation later admitted the error: the offside lines had not been drawn. Ferreira's point was subtle but clear. Refereeing mistakes happened. They happened to both teams. This one, he believed, had gone the right way.
But Ferreira did not dwell on the controversy. He pivoted instead to praise for São Paulo's performance. The visitors had made his team work for the result, deploying a formation of considerable mobility—three center backs, Oscar sitting deeper in midfield—that created constant problems in the first half. It was, Ferreira said, another example of the quality São Paulo brought to these matches. He had been at the club long enough to know that derbies against the Tricolor were rarely easy, and this one was no exception.
The selection of Vitor Roque had been a difficult call. Roque, Palmeiras' most expensive signing in Brazilian football history, had earned the start over Flaco López, who had been playing well and had scored in the previous match. The decision reflected Ferreira's tactical reading: this particular game demanded the mobility and vertical attacking threat that Roque provided. López's form made the choice harder, but once Ferreira asked himself what the team needed, the answer became clearer. Roque had delivered the penalty and created a clear chance for Facundo Torres in the second half, though Rafael, São Paulo's goalkeeper, had made the save.
Now Palmeiras faced Corinthians in the final—a derby that had not been contested in a Paulistão championship match since 2020, when Palmeiras won on penalties. The final would be played over two legs, with the first scheduled for the following Sunday, March 16, and the second for March 27. But a dispute was already brewing between the São Paulo state federation and the Brazilian confederation. The CBF wanted to move the second match to March 26 to provide more breathing room before the national league began on March 29. If that happened, both teams would be missing players called up for their national teams' international fixtures. Corinthians held one advantage: as the tournament's top seed, they had the right to host the decisive match at the Neo Química Arena.
Citações Notáveis
There is a clear obstruction, with Arboleda's leg—whether there is intensity or not is a decision for the referee— Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras coach
São Paulo played a beautiful match, especially in the first half. I have been here long enough to know that São Paulo plays beautiful matches against us, and today they played another one— Abel Ferreira
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why did Ferreira seem so reluctant to discuss the penalty at all?
Because talking about refereeing decisions puts you in a precarious position. You either sound defensive or you sound like you're making excuses. But he also knew this penalty would define how people remembered the match, so silence would have looked worse.
Do you think his reference to the 2022 Copa do Brasil incident was fair?
It was strategic. He wasn't saying the penalty was wrong because of past mistakes. He was saying: mistakes happen in both directions, and this one happened to go our way. It's a way of acknowledging the controversy without apologizing for it.
Why was choosing Vitor Roque over López such a difficult decision?
Because López was in form and had just scored. But Ferreira saw something the match demanded—vertical speed, the ability to run in behind. Sometimes the right tactical choice conflicts with rewarding a player's recent performances. That tension is real.
What does the scheduling conflict with the CBF actually mean for the final?
It means both teams could be severely weakened. Players called up for international duty would have to choose between club and country, or they'd be exhausted from travel. Corinthians has leverage because they're hosting the second leg, but nobody wins if the final is played with half the squad missing.
Did Ferreira seem confident about facing Corinthians?
He didn't express doubt, but he also didn't make grand claims. He knows Corinthians will be a different challenge entirely—a rival with equal resources and recent success. The tone was respectful, almost cautious.