Erick Pulgar was once again at the center of controversy in Brazil. Flamengo's Chilean midfielder made a harsh tackle in the derby against Fluminense, played this Sunday at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The referee punished him with only a yellow card.
According to BioBioChile, the incident occurred around the 30-minute mark. Pulgar went all out to clear a contested ball, but Rodrigo Castillo got there first. The Chilean followed through with his leg and struck the opposing player's knee. Cooperativa recorded the yellow card in the 31st minute.
Flu fans reacted immediately on social media. Among the messages gathered by BioBioChile, some asked whether the former Universidad Católica player had a "license to kill", others called for his expulsion from Brazilian football, and some described him as the country's dirtiest player. User @gaby_lawiet also reacted on X, questioning the Chilean's kick in Portuguese.
Despite the controversy, Flamengo won the derby 1-0. Jorge Carrascal scored in the 65th minute following an assist from Lucas Paquetá. Pulgar started and played the full match for Leonardo Jardim's team.
The result carries considerable weight in the standings. With the win in round 30 of the Brasileirao, Flamengo remains top with 64 points, just one more than Palmeiras. The second-place side kept up the pressure, beating Corinthians 4-1 in the São Paulo derby.
So far, there is no indication that the tackle will lead to a subsequent sanction for the former Antofagasta midfielder.
The schedule gives Mengao no respite. On Thursday at 21:30, they will visit Estudiantes de La Plata in Argentina for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals.
