During the intense clash between Corinthians and São Paulo, referee Anderson Daronco made a decision that ignited a storm of discussion among fans on social media. Raniele opened the scoring for Corinthians, Luciano equalized for São Paulo, and after the second goal, Bobadilla celebrated with a gesture that was reviewed by VAR for potential obscenity.
The match was halted for about 10 minutes as players from both sides exchanged shoves. After separating them, Daronco received guidance from the video assistant referee to review whether Paraguayan Bobadilla deserved a red card. The referee chose to uphold his on-field decision, not sending off the player.
Following the review, Daronco explained his reasoning through the stadium’s loudspeakers, stating:
“The player did not touch his genitals. He was celebrating the moment.”
Here are some fan reactions to the controversy:
The first half of the match was marked by a series of incidents after Luciano’s goal in the 40th minute. Following a mistake by Raniele and a defensive lapse from Hugo, Bobadilla set up Luciano, who fired the ball into the back of the net. However, the celebration by the Tricolor’s number 10 sparked outrage and heightened tensions.
In front of the section housing Corinthians’ organized fan groups, Luciano mimicked the traditional celebration of Luis Fabiano using the corner flag from the home side. The Corinthians fans reacted with protests, throwing an e-cigarette (vape) and a lighter, which hit Calleri on the head.
Corinthians players were also irritated by the gesture and confronted São Paulo players. The ensuing scuffle resulted in yellow cards for Matheus Bidu, Gabriel Paulista, Calleri, and Sabino.
The controversy continues to dominate discussions, with many questioning the referee’s handling of the situation.
