Vasco and Maracanã: Justice Denies the Injunction!

Today was a tough day for Vasco’s supporters. The Rio court denied the injunction that the club had requested to play against Boca Juniors at the Maracanã in the South American semifinal.

What Happened?

Vasco filed a lawsuit against the Maracanã administration, managed by Fla-Flu Serviços, but that dispute had been put on hold last week. And today, to make matters worse, the club needs to decide and inform Conmebol where the second leg will be played, scheduled for 20 October.

The Judge’s Ruling

Judge Adriana Marques dos Santos Laia Franco explained that there are technical differences between the parties and that, at the current stage of the case, there isn’t enough information to make a ruling on an injunction. She made it clear:

“When there is a divergence between the technical elements presented, it becomes necessary to properly assess the methodology...”

In short, the judge stated that it is not for the Judiciary to decide how many matches can be played between the 18 October (when Fluminense and Santos play) and the 22 October (Flamengo and Estudiantes), without the pitch being damaged.

What Does This Mean?

She also mentioned that, when solving a problem involves issues that go beyond common knowledge, it is necessary to use appropriate methods, such as expert evidence, to support the assessment.

For the judge, if the technical documents submitted by the parties don’t help reach a clear conclusion, it isn’t appropriate to recognize, on an injunction basis, the likelihood that Vasco’s right exists based solely on a preference for one of the reports.

She stressed that she wasn’t saying that Vasco’s right doesn’t exist, but rather that, at the current stage of the proceedings, there isn’t enough evidence to justify it, since the central issue still needs a more appropriate technical evaluation.

The Maracanã Under Renovation

This week, the Maracanã is undergoing a pitch replacement, with the goal of being ready to host the match between Fluminense and Coritiba in the Brasileirão, which takes place on Thursday.

Stay tuned here on the blog because we’ll follow all the developments from this situation!