The red mist descends in Brazil

Footballers are supposed to be professionals, yet sometimes they lose it in the most public way possible. During the Fluminense and Corinthians clash this past Thursday, we witnessed one of those moments that makes you want to cover your eyes and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Allan, the former Liverpool man, found himself staring down an early shower after a moment of absolute madness.

The match ended in a 3-1 victory for Fluminense, but the headlines aren't about the tactical setup or the finishing prowess in front of goal. They are about the referee consulting the pitchside monitor after the VAR team caught an X-rated gesture directed at an opponent. It is the kind of brain-dead move that ruins a manager's game plan in a heartbeat.

The VAR theater of the absurd

We need to talk about how these interventions are changing the rhythm of the game. When officials stop play to analyze a hand gesture frame-by-frame, it drains the energy right out of the stadium. While some might argue that cleaning up on-field conduct is necessary, watching a referee squint at a screen to decide if a teenager's middle finger is worth a sending-off feels like a skit from a bad sketch comedy show.

Allan isn't a rookie. He should know better than to give a referee a reason to pull out the red card in a high-stakes match. If you are going to take your frustrations out on the opposition, at least have the decency to do it in a way that doesn't force a VAR review. This isn't the first time we have seen an ex-Liverpool star collapse under pressure in a foreign league.

Tactical blunders and mental fragility

Corinthians were already struggling to contain the pace of the Fluminense attack, and losing a man effectively locked the door on any potential comeback. When your team is chasing the game, you need every body on the pitch; handing the opposition a numbers advantage because you couldn't keep your cool is the definition of a sabotage job.

It is exhausting to watch these veteran players lose their composure when the tide turns against them. We have seen other disciplinary issues plague the game recently, and this fits the theme perfectly. Without a consistent standard for what warrants a straight dismissal versus a warning, players are clearly confused about the boundaries of decency.

Ultimately, this performance highlights the growing disconnect between the players on the field and the officials in the booth. If the game continues to stop for every petty insult or middle finger, we are going to lose the raw intensity that makes the sport watchable. Allan will have plenty of time to sit on the sidelines and think about his choices, while the rest of us are left wondering why he thought that was a winning move in the first place.