Flamengo president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, has criticized Palmeiras president Leila Pereira during an interview on the Sports Market Makers podcast. Baptista stated that he would not treat anyone who is impolite and disrespectful differently simply because she is a woman. He said that if she throws a stone at him, he will throw one back, adding that it makes zero difference to him if she plays the victim, kicks, or throws herself to the ground.
During the interview, the Flamengo leader also compared football management to corporate decisions. He asked whether anyone conducts business with someone they do not trust and admire, questioning why football should be any different.
Refereeing row and management similarities
The latest dispute between the executives followed an official statement published by Flamengo alleging refereeing favoritisms for Palmeiras. Pereira responded publicly by saying she was surprised at the nerve of the rival club's complaint, while again emphasizing the importance of VAR in Brazilian football.
Despite the ongoing tension, Baptista acknowledged that both leaders share blame for the friction due to their strong personalities, adding that the two are similar. He opined that from a management perspective, they share far more viewpoints that unite them than divide them.
Tensions between the two leaders have persisted over several years as their clubs competed directly for major titles. Past disagreements between the executives include legal obstacles involving Libra as well as a loan provided by Crefisa, a company owned by Pereira, to the firm presiding over Flamengo's local rival Vasco.
