Palmeiras beat Santos amid controversy over ticket prices
ByReuters
Published 27/04/2015 at 00:18 GMT
Palmeiras beat Santos 1-0 in the first leg of the Paulista state championship final on Sunday but the tepid game was warmed up when home fans and the club chairman clashed over ticket prices.
Eurosport
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The match at Palmeiras' new Allianz Parque attracted a crowd of 39,479 and receipts of almost $1.52 million, both records for the stadium which opened less than a year ago.
The average ticket went for 105 reais ($36) but the most expensive sold for 390 reais and spectators expressed their dissatisfaction at the pricing policy by holding aloft banners saying "Football is for the people" and "Working class team".
Palmeiras chairman Paulo Nobre hit back at the charges of elitism and said the money was needed to produce a team worthy of winning competitions like the Paulista, which the side last won in 2008.
"I asked these supporters if they want a competitive team, to go to work and not be made fun of, for their sons not to be made fun of at school, or if they want cheap tickets?" Nobre told ESPN.
"I run Palmeiras for 16 million people," he said, alluding to the club's alleged number of fans. "Not for the 30 to 40,000 who come to the games."
Palmeiras started well and took the lead in the 29th minute with a goal from Leandro Pereira.
However, they missed a penalty in the second period and played against 10 men after Paulo Ricardo was sent off in the 56th minute but could not extend the one-goal advantage to take into next weekend's second leg.
The 1-0 scoreline was duplicated in the first leg in Rio de Janeiro, where Vasco da Gama overcame a weak Botafogo side in the Rio state championship final. Substitute Rafael Silva got the winner in injury time for Vasco.
The other two big state finals both ended goalless and will be decided next week. Atletico Mineiro drew 0-0 with Caldense in Minas Gerais, while Internacional and Gremio failed to score in Rio Grande do Sul.
($1 = 2.9519 reais)
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