The court granted an injunction to Vasco to play his game against Sport, next Sunday (3), at Maracanã. The CBF accepted the court decision, and this will promote the 30th match in the former largest stadium in the world in 2022 – there were 64 last year.
More than the fight between the Vasco and Red-Black boards, the case exposes the neglect of the government of Rio de Janeiro. For three years, Flamengo and Fluminense have managed the site based on temporary concessions, renewed every six months.
In theory, Flamengo and Fluminense are right to block Vasco’s match, on the grounds that the pitch will not support it.
Imagine a public park, whose capacity to receive people has been exceeded on a sunny Sunday. The prefecture will close its gates, and part of the population will not be able to enjoy the common good, for safety.
Maracanã is public, but the grass is a living being and does not have the capacity to host three games in five days. Hence the attempt to close the doors to Vasco’s game.
It makes sense.
What makes no sense is the Maracanã without an owner. In the past, people used to sing “Maraca is ours!”. Then he complained about having been granted to a consortium led by Odebrecht. The state government canceled the bid for expiry, and now Maraca belongs to no one.
In the decree that broke the bidding, signed by the then governor Wilson Witzel, in 2019, the argument was that Odebrecht had failed to comply with the contract.
But the concessionaire claimed to have lost the right to use the Célio de Barros, the Julio Delamare aquatic complex and the area of the Museu do Índio. After bidding, these spaces were repossessed by court decision.
A former leader of the Maracanã Entretenimento S/A consortium argues that the expiry was a certificate of guilt, signed by Witzel. Right or wrong, time has led to an agreement. There was never a new bidding process that ended with the provisional situation.
Flamengo is the one who takes care of the old public patrimony and pays the big expenses. The building may have major damage caused by time, necessary renovations to the roof, to the structure. Your home can too.
How could Flamengo and Fluminense afford the expenses of a giant project with a temporary six-month concession?
Does not make sense. The situation is serious, and there will only be a definitive solution after the elections – if any.
Brazilian football cannot do without Maracanã. Flamengo and Fluminense can even, in the medium term. Tricolor would build an arena for 30,000 people, the rubro-negro plans another one for 70,000, the team would spread across several states, as it has done since 1980, and only sadness and nostalgia would remain.
But this is a viable situation in five years, ten maybe, if Fla and Flu build their new stadiums.
It is incredible to think that clubs can create definitive situations and the government of the state of Rio has not been able to forward a solution for three years, pushing with its belly and treating the heritage of football in the world as if it were a little push.
Fluminense x Corinthians will take place this Saturday, Vasco will play on Sunday against Sport, supported by a preliminary decision, and Flamengo will face Tolima on Wednesday.
Will the ultimate solution come on Saint Never’s Day?
Maracanã cannot become a club fight.
It is necessary to prepare the biggest stage in world football for its centenary, in 2050. So that it belongs to all of us, managed by whoever it is.
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