Jhon Arias endured a hostile reunion with his former club Fluminense on Wednesday night, as his new side Palmeiras secured a 2-1 win.
The episode adds another chapter to a turbulent year for the Colombian. After amixed spell at Wolvesand a quick £21.5m (€25m) move back to Brazil, Arias now found himself centre stage again – this time for off-pitch drama.
The tension stems from Arias’ emotional farewell when he left Fluminense for Wolves. At the time,he promised loyalty to the Rio club.
“I will come back to Fluminense, and I say that with complete peace. One of the greatest lessons my grandfather and parents taught me is to be loyal to what you feel. There’s nothing in the world, no amount of money, that can buy your essence, your values,” he said before boarding his flight for Wolves.
That statement now hangs heavily over his switch to Palmeiras. So even before kick-off, the focus was firmly on Arias. His new club warmed up in front of the travelling Fluminense fans, and the winger was met with chants of “Arias, go [redacted] yourself! Fluminense doesn’t need you!”Another section repeatedly shouted “Judas”.
Some fans went further. They printed fake dollar bills with Arias’ face on them, mocking what they calledhis “dream” move away. One supporter held a shirt that read:“Traitor. Dreamed of Europe, woke up with the Tietê” – a reference to the polluted river that runs through São Paulo, where Palmeiras are based.
Divided on-pitch reactions
Jhon Arias whilst at Fluminense
Jhon Arias whilst at Fluminense
On the pitch, he entered in the 57th minute. He received a yellow card after a foul on his former teammate Guga, nearly provided an assist and attempted a direct free-kick from long range. Each touch drew whistles from the travelling support.
At one point, Guga fouled him in response to that earlier challenge. The Fluminense fans celebrated the tackle loudly and chanted the defender’s name in approval.
Meanwhile, Palmeiras supporters sang Arias’ name when he came on and again whenever the away end targeted him.
The match ended 2-1 to Palmeiras, with one of the goals scored by Allan, a player who has attracted interest from Liverpool in recent weeks. However, the contest often felt secondary to Arias’ presence.
After the final whistle, left-back Joaquín Piquerez defended his teammate.
“I think all players are professionals. We didn’t know what Arias was thinking, but he already imagined this situation. He doesn’t have to give it importance. Jhon helped Fluminense a lot, gave them many titles, the most important in their history. Today he is with us and will defend our colours”, the Uruguayan said.
Meanwhile, Fluminense goalkeeper Fábio also downplayed the controversy.
“That’s normal in football. We cannot focus only on the individual side of a player, buying options, selling and backstage situations. We focus on the match against Palmeiras, on quality players, on Arias’ entrance as well. That is what we focus on”, he stated.
For those who watched his time at Wolves, this feels natural. The jeers from the Fluminense end may follow him for a while.
Yet if this is what life post-Wolves looks like – decisive touches, centre-stage drama and a winning side around him – he may decide the trade-off was worth it.