Retro Football: Flamengo Play-Off Against Atletico Mineiro On Most Nauseating Pitch Markings Of All Time, 1981 (Video)

Chris Wright

13th, March 2019

6 Comments

After Flamengo and Atletico Mineiro finished level on points in the 1981 Copa Libertadores group stage, it went down to the head-to-head record between the two sides as to which would qualify for the next phase.

Unfortunately, the two teams had drawn 2-2 in both of their group ties, meaning that a play-off decider at a neutral venue was called for.

Even more unfortunately, CONMEBOL duly selected the Estadio Serra Dourada in Goias – neutral, but also home of the most disorientating, nausea-inducing playing surface in the whole of footballing history…

Perhaps hypnotised by the horribly bewildering turf, Atletico had no less than five players sent off in what was a fairly despicable match, with Flamengo declared the winners by default.

Horrendous scenes. When it comes to pitch markings, we’ll take perfectly-etched foxes’ heads any day of the week.

Posted in Retro, South America, Videos

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6 Comments

  1. Nuno says:

    Just… why?!
    And BTW Pies, loving this random bits of “unknown history” you’ve been throwing last weeks!

  2. Tim says:

    The first red I saw was pretty harsh and the second – brushing the ref – looked inadvertent. Wish I knew enough Spanish to understand what’s going on.

    • Nuno says:

      Given these are 2 Brazilian teams, playing in Brazil (albeit being Copa Libertadores, it was in a neutral Brazilian stadium) with a Brazilian commentator… not sure how much useful would Spanish be ;)
      But the red card on 33 minutes seems a bit harsh, and the commentator says after a few seconds: “Ze Roberto (the ref) is more nervous than the players, when he should be the one on the pitch with more calm” (or tranquility/poise).
      And the 2nd red on 34 minutes is ridiculous, the ref completely lost it.

    • Ronei says:

      The referee (and his family) are declarable fans of Flamengo. This is what’s going on. Lolol

  3. Miike says:

    I need this field in FIFA

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