Three top-flight clubs in Brazil will not play football for three weeks after the country’s football federation (CBF) agreed to postpone their matches due to serious flooding.
Internacional, Gremio and Juventude — who all play in Brazil’s Serie A — are based in the nation’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, which has been hit by serious flooding.
A statement from the CBF on Tuesday confirmed that all clubs from the region would not have to play again until May 27 due to the circumstances, a period which covers three rounds of league matches and the third round of the Copa do Brasil.
On Monday, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked the nation’s congress to recognise a state of public calamity for the heavy rains that have killed at least 29 people.
Internacional and Gremio, who both play in the state capital Porto Alegre, have seen their stadiums severely damaged by flood water that has engulfed the city.
Gremio’s pitch has been entirely flooded (Ramiro Sanchez/Getty Images)
Internacional’s Copa Sudamericana clash at Bolivian side Real Tomayapo and Gremio’s Copa Libertadores game against Chilean opponents Huachipato, both scheduled to be played on May 7, have been postponed.
Internacional, however, are due to host regional rivals Juventude in the Copa do Brasil on May 11 with Gremio due to play Atletico Mineiro in Serie A the following day.
A statement from the Gaucho Football Federation, which represents Internacional, Gremio and Juventude at the CBF, on Monday read: “Considering the environmental, structural and humanitarian conditions, the FGF reports that it has sent a letter to the Brazilian Football Confederation, requesting the postponement of the Gaucho teams’ games in national championships, as home and away teams, for the next 20 days.”
That request has subsequently been granted by the CBF.
Internacional’s training facilities at Parque Gigante were inundated by flood water while Gremio’s Arena do Gremio stadium has seen its pitch and surrounding streets flooded by the deluge of water, with neither side being able to train this week.
Internacional’s Estadio Beira-Rio and its surrounding area have been damaged by the flooding (RENAN MATTOS/AGENCIA RBS/AFP via Getty Images)
Internacional said in a statement they “express its solidarity with those affected by the floods and remain available to assist the people of Rio Grande do Sul in any way possible”.
The CBF, meanwhile, has launched an online platform for donations to be pledged to those impacted by the flooding.
(Ramiro Sanchez/Getty Images)
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