The former Real Madrid Marcelo, 36, has left Fluminense after falling out with his coach, the Rio de Janeiro club announced on Saturday. “Fluminense and Marcelo have terminated the contract by mutual agreement.”read a club statement. The previous day, an altercation had occurred between the player and coach Mano Menezes, former Brazil coach (2010-2012), during a Brazilian Championship match against Gremio at the Maracana stadium (2-2).

The coach called for his player to come on in second-half stoppage time, but after a verbal exchange between the two men Marcelo eventually stayed off the pitch. “I heard something I didn’t like and I changed my mind”, explained Menezes. Marcelo returned to his hometown club in February 2023, after 15 years in Europe. A few months later, he and Fluminense won the first Copa Libertadores in the club’s history.