Carrascal should have known better. He had been sent off before.
Em um esporte onde a disciplina pode ser tão decisiva quanto o talento, Jorge Carrascal voltou a lembrar ao Flamengo — e a si mesmo — que o gênio sem controle é um presente envenenado. Aos vinte minutos de um confronto que o time rubro-negro dominava, o colombiano foi expulso por uma falta impensável, entregando ao Palmeiras a vantagem numérica que se converteria em vitória por 2 a 0. É a quarta vez em poucos meses que a indisciplina de um único jogador altera o destino coletivo de sua equipe em partidas que importavam de verdade.
- Carrascal pisou no rosto de Murilo aos 20 minutos — um gesto tão desnecessário quanto revelador de um padrão que já custou ao Flamengo finais e títulos.
- Antes da expulsão, o Flamengo era o melhor time em campo, com Carlos Miguel precisando fazer duas defesas decisivas para segurar a pressão visitante.
- Com um a menos, o equilíbrio desapareceu: o Palmeiras tomou conta do jogo e abriu o placar ainda no primeiro tempo com Flaco López, após jogada de Marlon Freitas e Allan.
- No segundo tempo, Allan selou a vitória com um gol de ombro após uma corrida espetacular, consolidando o 2 a 0 e ampliando a vantagem do Palmeiras na tabela para sete pontos.
- O Flamengo resistiu com dignidade jogando com dez, mas a pergunta que fica é inevitável: até quando o clube pode conviver com um jogador cuja indisciplina é uma crise recorrente?
Jorge Carrascal voltou a ser o protagonista pelo motivo errado. Aos vinte minutos do clássico de domingo contra o Palmeiras, o meia colombiano foi expulso após colocar o pé no rosto de Murilo — uma falta impensável, desnecessária e, sobretudo, familiar. Era a quarta vez em poucos meses que sua indisciplina custava caro ao Flamengo em partidas decisivas.
Antes da expulsão, o cenário era promissor para os visitantes. O goleiro Carlos Miguel já havia feito duas defesas fundamentais — uma em Samuel Lino, outra em Paquetá em situação de um contra um. O Flamengo pressionava, criava e parecia próximo de abrir o placar. Então Carrascal fez o que Carrascal faz.
Com a vantagem numérica, o Palmeiras passou a ditar o ritmo. Aos 38 minutos, Marlon Freitas encontrou Allan, que serviu Flaco López para o 1 a 0. No segundo tempo, após a entrada de Bruno Henrique, o Flamengo tentou se reorganizar, mas Allan voltou a aparecer: recebeu de Flaco López, conduziu da defesa ao ataque e finalizou de ombro para fazer 2 a 0 — um gol que encerrou qualquer esperança rubro-negra.
O histórico de Carrascal pesa. Ele foi expulso na final da Libertadores de 2021 pelo River Plate, justamente contra o Palmeiras. Cometeu uma cotovelada na final da Supercopa do Brasil contra o Corinthians. Foi expulso novamente contra o Fluminense no campeonato. O padrão é inegável.
O Flamengo terminou a partida com dignidade, evitando uma goleada maior, e Rossi ainda precisou salvar um chute de Maurício. Mas o Palmeiras abriu sete pontos na liderança e poderia ter vencido por mais. A derrota não foi apenas resultado da superioridade adversária — foi, em grande parte, um presente entregue por um jogador que o clube já não pode continuar ignorando.
Jorge Carrascal has become a problem that Flamengo can no longer ignore. The Colombian midfielder was sent off twenty minutes into Sunday's match against Palmeiras—not for a moment of passion or a genuine accident, but for putting his foot in Murilo's face. It was reckless, stupid, and entirely preventable. It was also the fourth time in recent months that Carrascal's indiscipline has cost his team dearly in a match that mattered.
Before the red card, Flamengo was the better team. Palmeiras' goalkeeper Carlos Miguel had already made two crucial saves—one from Samuel Lino, another from Lucas Paquetá in a one-on-one situation. The visitors were pressing, creating chances, moving the ball with purpose. They looked like they might break through. Then Carrascal did what Carrascal does.
The expulsion changed everything. Flamengo went from hunting to hunted. Palmeiras, suddenly playing with a man advantage, began to methodically take control of the match. By the thirty-eighth minute, they had their opening goal: Marlon Freitas found Allan in the box, and Allan's pass reached Flaco López, who finished past goalkeeper Rossi. One-nil, and the momentum had shifted completely.
Carrascal should have known better. He had been sent off in the Copa Libertadores final of 2021 while playing for River Plate against Palmeiras—a kick at Gabriel Menino that left his team to lose 3-0. More recently, he had elbowed Breno Bidon in the Supercopa do Brasil final, leaving Flamengo a man down while trailing Corinthians 1-0. Against Fluminense in the eleventh round of the league, he had thrown in a wild scissor kick late in the second half and been dismissed again. The pattern was unmistakable. The Colombian was a liability.
Flamengo made a tactical adjustment for the second half, bringing Bruno Henrique on for Evertton Araújo. It was a sensible move, but it could not undo what had already been done. Palmeiras continued to build on their advantage. At the twelfth minute of the second half, Allan made a spectacular run from deep in his own half, receiving the ball from Flaco López, weaving through Palmeiras' defense, and laying it off to Arias. When Varela intercepted, Allan was there again, and this time he finished with his shoulder to make it 2-0. The referee had correctly allowed play to continue when Flaco López was fouled by Léo Ortiz, a decision that underscored Palmeiras' growing control.
By the end, Palmeiras had opened up a seven-point lead over their rivals. They were threatening to score again on the counterattack. Rossi had to make a save from Maurício in the thirty-seventh minute to prevent a third goal. The match had become lopsided, though not entirely through Palmeiras' superiority alone. Carrascal's absence—ten men trying to do the work of eleven—had hollowed out Flamengo's resistance.
What made the afternoon bearable for Flamengo was the quality of their play before the dismissal and the effort of those ten remaining players afterward. They did not deserve to lose by more than two goals. Palmeiras, for their part, deserved to win by more. The Colombian's recklessness had handed them the match on a platter, and they had taken it with intelligence and composure. For Flamengo, the question now is whether they can afford to keep a player whose discipline has become a recurring crisis.
Citas Notables
The Colombian's recklessness had handed them the match on a platter, and they had taken it with intelligence and composure.— Match analysis
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does Carrascal keep doing this? Is it a pattern or just bad luck?
It's not luck. He's been sent off four times in major competitions in the span of a few months. Elbows, kicks, scissors kicks—it's not recklessness born of intensity. It's indiscipline. He doesn't seem to have learned.
But Flamengo was actually winning before the red card, weren't they?
They were dominating. Carlos Miguel made two world-class saves. Flamengo looked like they might break through. Then Carrascal put his foot in Murilo's face and changed the entire shape of the match.
So Palmeiras didn't really outplay them?
Not in the first twenty minutes. But once Flamengo went down to ten men, Palmeiras took over methodically. They scored twice in the second half. The question is whether Palmeiras was genuinely better or whether Carrascal simply handed them the match.
What does this mean for Flamengo going forward?
The performance of those ten remaining players suggests the loss might not have lasting damage. But Carrascal is becoming a liability they can't keep absorbing. At some point, a player who costs you matches this way becomes a problem you have to solve.
Did Palmeiras play well enough to deserve the win?
They played with intelligence and composure once they had the advantage. But they were given that advantage. Palmeiras merited victory by more than two goals, but Flamengo didn't deserve to lose by that margin—not until Carrascal made his choice.