Romario slaps team mate as Fluminense crash 6-0
Brian Homewood
Veteran striker Romario slapped a team mate in the face as Fluminense crashed to a 6-0 defeat away to Sao Paulo in the Brazilian championship on Sunday.
The incident happened when Romario argued with Andrei after the defender had made a mistake on another miserable day for Fluminense, who sank to their second heavy defeat in four games under new coach Renato Portaluppi.
Romario, whose often brilliant career has been littered with disciplinary problems, said Andrei prevented the situation from getting any worse after the first-half incident.
"I lost my cool and did that thing," said Romario. "We had an argument and that's how I reacted. Fortunately, Andrei calmed things down and everything stopped there."
But Brazil's 1994 World Cup hero, who was controversially left out of this year's squad by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, refused to apologise.
"I'm not one to say sorry," he said. "I've spoken to him and we are trying to sort things out."
Romario, top scorer in last year's Brazilian championship, made an otherwise neglible contribution to the game and his performance will give further ammunition to critics who say it is time for him to retire.
He has only hit the target in three out of eight matches for his new club.
RAN RIOT
Sao Paulo led 1-0 at halftime with a Julio Baptista goal but ran riot in the second period.
Brazil international Kaka grabbed the second in the 56th minute, finishing a move he had started in his own half, Regis and Leandro added two more and Luis Fabiano scored twice in the last five minutes. Sao Paulo striker Reinaldo also missed a penalty.
Fluminense had defender Cesar sent off for a professional foul.
The win lifted Sao Paulo up to second in the table but they remained six points behind leaders Juventude.
The unfashionable team coached by former Paris St Germain and Brazil defender Ricardo Gomes beat Atletico Mineiro 1-0 with a 73rd minute goal by central defender Indio.
Cruzeiro won only their second match under former Brazil coach Vanderley Luxemburgo -- who walked out on Palmeiras to join them -- but were still booed by the fans.
Central defender Gina headed home to give the visitors a halftime lead before Cruzeiro hit back after the break with two goals from striker Marcelo Ramos and one from Alessandro.
"It was a bad first half and the supporters protested as we would expect," said Luxemburgo. "But in the end everyone went home happy."
Defender Reginaldo Nascimento scored his first goal in more than 300 games for third-placed Coritiba as they beat Goias 3-1. Danilo and Lucio Flavio scored the other two.
