Palmeiras and Santos started their match a few minutes late on Saturday at Palmeiras' stadium after the visitors arrived behind schedule. Only Palmeiras players walked onto the field at first, while Santos had not yet reached the pitch.
Palmeiras players formed a line in the stadium tunnel and waited a few minutes for Santos, who entered only after the national anthem was played. The match was scheduled for 18:30 and was valid for the 14th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro.
According to ge, the Santos delegation arrived late because the Military Police changed the access route to the stadium for security reasons. That delay pushed back kickoff, even though Palmeiras came in with 33 points and top spot in the table, while Santos had 15 points and sat in 15th place.
The delay also carried a possible disciplinary angle. Article 213 of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice allows fines ranging from R$ 100 to R$ 100,000 for delaying the start or restart of matches, a rule that now hangs over a game already marked by a late arrival and a hurried start.