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The Prosecutor's Office of the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) has formally charged Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique with involvement in a match-fixing scheme. The player is accused of deliberately forcing himself to receive a yellow card in the Brazilian Championship match against Santos on November 1, 2023, in order to favor bets made by his brother. If convicted, the player could face a suspension of up to two years.

THE ARTICLES AND THE GRAVITY OF THE ACCUSATION

The complaint, based on a Federal Police investigation, places the player under two articles of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD):

• Article 243 – Deliberately acting in a manner detrimental to the team, with the aggravating circumstance of paragraph 1 (obtaining financial advantage). Penalty: suspension of 360 to 720 days .
• Article 243-A – Acting against sporting ethics with the intent to influence the outcome of the match. Since the action was consummated (the card was actually issued), the penalty ranges from a 12- to 24-game suspension .

BASIS OF THE COMPLAINT: MESSAGES AND ACTIONS IN THE FIELD

Complaint against Bruno Henrique, from Flamengo: "intentionally caused his third yellow card"

According to a report by UOL journalist Rodrigo Mattos, the complaint is based on evidence gathered in the criminal court. Among the main elements are WhatsApp conversations between Bruno Henrique and his brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Junior, in which the player allegedly anticipated his intention to receive a yellow card —information used by Wander to place bets.

“The materiality and authorship are evidenced by all the records of conversations in messaging applications extracted from the police investigation (...) and by the dynamics of the game itself that took place on 11/1/2023, in which the player, in stoppage time, intentionally provoked his third yellow card”, states the complaint.

The prosecution also considers that there was an economic advantage, even if indirect: “ The offense was committed through the promise of an economic advantage — even if not directly for the athlete, but for the benefit of his brother and network of contacts.”

OTHERS INVOLVED AND POSSIBLE PUNISHMENTS

In addition to Bruno Henrique , his brother and three others were also charged: Claudinei Vitor Mosquete Bassan, Andryl Reis, and Douglas Barcelos. All are accused of benefiting from insider information to place bets . The group was charged under Article 242 of the CBJD, which deals with offering an advantage to influence the outcome. In this case, the penalty could include a fine or even a ban from the sport.

NEXT STEPS IN THE STJD AND IN THE ORDINARY COURT

The complaint will still be reviewed by the first instance of the Superior Court of Justice (STJD), which will decide whether to take the case to trial. A date has not been set for the hearing. Meanwhile, the case is also being heard in the ordinary courts: Bruno Henrique is already a defendant following a complaint filed by the Federal District Public Prosecutor's Office . The player's defense denies the accusations and has already tried—unsuccessfully—to have the case annulled in higher courts.

Flamengo was defeated by Atlético-MG 1-0 on Thursday night (1), at Maracanã, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The result forces the Rio de Janeiro club to seek qualification away from home, at Arena MRV. To advance directly, the team needs to win by at least two goals. If they achieve a simple victory, the spot will be decided on penalties. A draw favors Galo.

During the post-match press conference, coach Filipe Luís commented on the decision to maintain the starting defensive formation against the Minas Gerais opponent. He said the decision was made considering the complexity of the match and the physical strain on the players.

"I think defense is a delicate area. I don't like to change the back line; I try to change it as little as possible. Considering the wear and tear you mentioned, there's also the opponent. They're a team that causes us a lot of problems in the back line," said the Flamengo coach.

DANGEROUS OPPONENT ATTACK

Filipe Luís also mentioned the defensive risks Atlético-MG's attack posed, highlighting the offensive prowess of players like Hulk, Rony, and Cuello . The decision to preserve the squad's young defenders was precisely due to this scenario.

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" I didn't think it would be fair to the boys to play this game. I believe that always playing in defense is a more delicate situation, and the attack with Hulk, Rony, and Cuello would create difficulties for our back line. That's why I chose to keep them. But, if we need them against Ceará, or even in the second leg, I know we have João and Cleiton," added the coach.

FLAMENGO RETURNS TO THE FIELD FOR THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Before the reunion with Atlético-MG, Flamengo returns to the field for the Brazilian Championship this Sunday (03). The match will be against Ceará, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Castelão, in Fortaleza, valid for the 18th round of the competition. The match will be broadcast live on the Premiere channel.

On Thursday afternoon (31), Flamengo Women faced Fortaleza at Presidente Vargas Stadium, in Fortaleza (CE), for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship. The score ended 0-0 after 90 minutes of balance and intense marking , keeping the dispute for a place in the semifinals of the competition open. The decisive clash is scheduled for next week, in Rio de Janeiro.

The first half was marked by intense midfield battles and few clear-cut scoring opportunities. Despite their technically demanding efforts, Mais Querido struggled against the home team's strong marking.

The red-and-blacks ' best chances came from set pieces: a free kick taken by Carol Martins and a corner kick taken by Isabela Nunes , which ended with a header from Brendha and a good save from the opposing goalkeeper. The scoreless draw remained until halftime.

THE SECOND HALF WAS A TIGHT GAME

In the second half, Flamengo continued to try to open the scoring, but again encountered resistance from Fortaleza's defense. The game remained tight, with many physical duels and little attacking activity from either side. The substitutions made by coach Filipe Torres didn't have the desired effect, and the intensity of the match dropped considerably. In the end, in stoppage time, Isabela Nunes crossed to Emilly, who fought back, and Alice shot over the bar—the last real chance before the final whistle.

FOCUS ON THE STATE BEFORE THE DECISION

Before the decisive quarter-final match, Mengão debuts in the U-20 Women's Carioca Championship this Sunday (3), against União Central, at 11 am, in Gávea. The coaching staff takes advantage of the state duel to maintain the athletes' rhythm and adjust the team for the return match against Fortaleza, where only a victory guarantees direct qualification for the semi-final of the Brasileirão in the category.