Whistle, Controversy and Tie at the Top

Hey there, my noble reader, happy Monday! If you survived the weekend, congratulations. If you survived the 29th round of the Brasileirão, you deserve a prize. We had a bit of everything: a ticket-saving goal, a coma-inducing game, and, of course, the main course: an "early final" that promised to be a clash of titans, but ended with a protagonist no one invited to the party: the man with the whistle.

Get your drink ready, settle into your chair, and come with me, because today's "Peladas da Semana" is hotter than a WhatsApp group discussion about politics.

The Early Final That the Judge Wanted to Steal for Himself

Let's face it: the atmosphere for Flamengo and Palmeiras on Sunday was like a championship decider. 1 The Maracanã, even in the rain, was preparing for a "luxurious Sunday," 2 a match that could decide the course of the cup. On one side, Flamengo was on fire; on the other, Palmeiras, a goal-scoring machine. The perfect ingredients for a spectacle. But, since a simple script is asking too much in Brazilian football, the CBF decided to add an extra layer of spice: Wilton Pereira Sampaio.

The referee's appointment was a spectacle in itself. The CBF hid the name of the chosen referee until Friday afternoon, like someone hiding their cell phone with the password "1234." Now , if even our soccer's governing body already anticipated the storm, why insist on placing the lightning rod in the middle of the field? Analysts were already pointing to a "climate of crisis" in the refereeing even before the ball rolled. The decision wasn't just a technical choice; it was an invitation to chaos. And chaos, as always, accepted the invitation and even brought its friends. What we saw at the Maracanã wasn't just a soccer game; it was the chronicle of a kidnapping foretold, where the spectacle was held hostage by controversy.

The Main Course – Chronicle of a Five-Goal War at Maracanã

If you can filter out the whistle and the endless arguments, you'll realize that Flamengo 3-2 Palmeiras was a hell of a game. A duel worthy of two title contenders. Flamengo, with Pulgar back after three months, and Palmeiras, with debutant goalkeeper Carlos Miguel playing in the biggest firepower possible, delivered a thrilling display. Arrascaeta, with his usual skill, scored, Jorginho also scored from the penalty spot, and Pedro got his. On the green and white side, the gem Vitor Roque and captain Gustavo Gómez found the net, showing why Abel Ferreira's team is so feared. It was a game of alternating plays, technical quality, and frayed nerves. But unfortunately, the story that remains is not the great goal, but the dubious play.

Then, my friend, the whistle blew louder. And it screamed. First, a play that left Palmeiras fans foaming at the mouth: Gustavo Gómez was clearly pushed by Jorginho and fell in the box, called for a penalty, and life went on. Wilton Pereira Sampaio signaled play, and VAR, apparently, was busy watching highlights of Liverpool and Manchester United, the day's other derby. The outrage was already brewing. But the climax was yet to come.

In the 42nd minute of the first half, the crucial moment: Pedro is brought down by Bruno Fuchs inside the box. A penalty for Flamengo. The Palmeiras bench erupted. Abel Ferreira, on the sidelines, gestured that it was an "attacking foul," a basketball play on a soccer field. To make matters worse, Palmeiras's fans complained that, at the origin of the play, Vitor Roque had been fouled, completely ignored. The confusion was brewing. The penalty was awarded and converted, but the damage to the match's credibility was already irreparable.

What followed the final whistle was the embodiment of fury. Abel Ferreira, in his press conference, tried to be clinical, pointing out the mistakes and the complicated history with the referee. But it was his players who threw diplomacy out the window. Full-back Piquerez and assistant João Martins attacked the referee and were sent off after the match ended. Piquerez's comment, recorded in the match report, will become part of championship folklore: "You're messing around, you came here just to rob us." That, my friend, is no longer the cry of a loser. It's a declaration of war. Palmeiras doesn't just feel wronged; they feel persecuted. And this "us against the system" mentality turns the final 10 rounds into a minefield, where every whistle is a potential explosion.

The Goals (and Yawns) of the Round – The Summary that Saves Your Monday

But the Brasileirão wasn't all about fighting. On Saturday, for example, Corinthians defeated Atlético-MG 1-0. A game that was the polar opposite of Sunday's classic: a "low-technical level," sluggish duel that seemed destined for a 0-0 draw. Until Maycon, the Corinthians captain, unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box and scored a stunning goal to justify the nearly 40,000 fans. It was a flash of quality in 90 minutes of pure struggle (against sluggishness).

So you don't get lost in the office review, here's the full score of the round, with our traditional and impartial comments:

Date	Game	Result	Ironic Column Commentary
10/18	Corinthians 1 x 0 Atlético-MG	Goal: Maycon	Maycon scored a stunning goal and saved 39,000 people from a collective nap in Itaquera. The rest of the game was a great mattress commercial.
10/18	Cruzeiro 1 x 0 Fortaleza	Goal: Christian	Christian scores the winning goal for the Minas Gerais team, who are third in the championship; the Ceará team remains stuck in the fourth place.
10/19	Flamengo 3 x 2 Palmeiras	Goals: Arrascaeta, Jorginho, Pedro; V. Roque, Gómez	A great game with five goals, two comebacks, and a referee who wanted to be the star. The price of admission was worth the anger I felt.
10/19	Ceara 0 x 2 Botafogo	Goals: Jefinho and Cris Ramos	The Rio team used its efficiency to add three more points, reach 46 and continue in the hunt for the G-4.
10/19	Mirassol 3 x 0 Sao Paulo	Goals: Reynaldo, Carlos Eduardo and Aleson	Leão reaches his tenth victory in Maião and imposes on Tricolor its worst defeat of the season, with shouts of olé in the stands
10/19	Internacional 2 x 0 Sport	Goals: Bruno Henrique and Borré	Inter remembered that they know how to play at home and overcame Sport, who continue their pilgrimage towards Série B in 2026.
10/19	Bahia 4 x 0 Grêmio	Goals: Iago, Willian José, David Duarte and Rodrigo Nestor.	Bahia dominates Grêmio, wins comfortably and continues its pursuit of the G-4

The last one – And Now, Who Will Get the Bill?

And so we conclude another thrilling round. The scenario for the final stretch is this: Flamengo and Palmeiras tied on points, with the São Paulo team feeling like they're on a crusade against an invisible system. 16 The referees, under more pressure than ever, take the field knowing that any mistake could trigger a national crisis.

The question that keeps echoing this Monday is: will Wilton Pereira Sampaio's whistle ring out until the 38th round? Will Palmeiras turn its anger into fuel for the title, or will it implode under the weight of its own narrative? And will Flamengo, stealthily, take advantage of the chaos to quietly pull away?

Stay tuned, because the next ten "finals" promise more drama than a 9 p.m. soap opera. And after all, after a weekend like this, who still has the nerve to say it's all about football?