A MANAGER was sent off by a referee after VAR spotted him making an X-rated gesture.
Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira was given his marching orders in the first half of their second leg match against Flamengo.
The referee initially missed the gesture but was told to review the incident on the VAR monitor.
And after seeing Ferreira grab his crotch in a provocative manner in reaction to a decision he did not like, ref Anderson Daronco had no option but to send him to the stands.
Palmeiras star Gustavo Gómez protested the decision but his complaints fell on deaf ears.
The ref showed Ferreira the red card and then announced to the stadium: “Sent off, after review, for making an obscene gesture with his hands.”
Ferreira’s absence may have had a big impact on his players as although they held out for a 1-0 win, they lost the tie 2-1 on aggregate so crashed out of the Copa do Brazil in the Round of 16.
Fans were a little taken aback by the incident with one saying: “You might not like it but this is what peak VAR looks like.”
Another added: “Football this year is really strange.”
A third wrote: “One of the best moments in the history of Brazilian football.”
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And another commented: “Is this serious?”
Ferreira has been in charge of Palmeiras since 2020 and led the club to the Serie A title in 2022 and 2023.