An absence from the field caught the attention of Arnaldo Cezar Coelho (1982 World Cup final referee and current commentator in Brazil) during the final stretch of the Brazilian Championship. Sandro Ricci, who was the Brazilian representative at the 2014 World Cup, requested a sabbatical leave due to stress. Coelho considered that the sabbatical was requested at a bad time and may damage the referee’s reputation.
“I sent a message to all the referees: where is Sandro Ricci? I discovered that he excused himself to the Brazilian Confederation (CBF) because he was much stressed and did not want to referee for a while. One of the referees said: Arnaldo, he cannot referee the Brazilian Cup final Cruzeiro vs. Atletico because he is not accepted by Cruzeiro, but can officiate the games deciding the relegation. There it is more important the referee's name than his abilities. It is the credibility of the referee and Ricci came from a World Cup. I think that this sabbatical was requested at a bad time, I think it is bad for him and the other referees”, said Arnaldo Coelho during the “Well, Friends!” program. Representative of the hosts in last year's World Cup, Sandro Ricci excused himself from national competitions in Brazil, but remained active in CONMEBOL, because there was a chance for him to referee the Copa Sudamericana final, if Sao Paulo would have not advanced, said Arnaldo Coelho. In 2010, Ricci was chosen the best referee of the Championship. In 2013 and 2014 was the best referee of the Campeonato Pernambucano. He refereed the finals of the 2012 Brazil Cup, the 2013 Club World Cup, the 2014 Copa Libertadores and the third place match at the U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
Source: Arnaldo Coelho / Well, Friends!
Source: Arnaldo Coelho / Well, Friends!