Finally, a Red Card Given Correctly

Today’s blog is about the controversial red card given in a match between Palmeiras × Portuguesa.

From all the reports on Palmeiras × Portuguesa from Saturday’s first round clash in the 2026 Paulistão Cup, it shows what happened regarding that controversial card that was this: the player from Portuguesa (Igor Torres) initially received a yellow card for a hard tackle on Larson, but after a VAR review the referee changed it to a straight red card.

👍 Why the decision changed

• Abel Ferreira’s reaction on the touchline: Right after the foul, Abel was very vocal and visibly insisted that the challenge deserved a red card rather than just a yellow — you can even hear him shouting “é para vermelho” (“that’s for red”).

• VAR intervention: The referee then consulted the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. VAR officials can recommend that the on-field referee review an incident on the pitchside monitor if they believe the original decision (in this case, a yellow card) was incorrect given the severity of the foul.

• Referee review and change: After watching the replay, the referee took back the yellow and issued a red card to Torres for a dangerous tackle — meaning the foul was deemed serious enough to justify expulsion.

🧠 So how did Abel influence it?

Abel’s influence wasn’t a direct force on the referee — he didn’t make the rules change or whisper into the referee’s ear — but his strong protest likely highlighted to the VAR officials that the incident deserved a second look. Once VAR checked the footage and agreed it met the criteria for serious foul play, the referee changed his decision.

In modern football, VAR can prompt the referee to review decisions that might have been underestimated in real time — especially for potential red-card offenses. Abel’s reaction simply helped bring immediate attention to it, but the actual change came through the VAR review protocol being correctly applied.

Actually, it was rather surprising, as other referees in Brazil have awarded Abel with a red card just for trying to help the referees who often make incorrect decisions.

Take care!

Prof. Carl Boniface