(fdp) — Season 1

After being kicked out his house for cheating on his wife, Juarez Gomes da Silva, soccer ref, is facing a court fight with his ex-wife Manuela over custody of their son, Vini. To complicate things, the presiding Judge in the case, a rabid fan of one of the teams in the upcoming match Juarez is going to ref, makes it plain that the result of the match will have a direct bearing on his ruling in the courtroom.

With no money to hang on to his apartment, Juarez goes back to live with his mother and ends up sharing the house with her boyfriend, the Argentine Guzmán, a fan of one of the teams in a match he is about to ref. As things improve in his working life, Juarez is summoned by his boss, Caponera, to referee the Libertadores Cup, the triumph of his career.

Juarez is horrified when his son asks him for Olympic gymnast slippers as a birthday present. At a match in Uruguay, he discovers that one of his closest colleagues is gay. Meanwhile, Manuela is beginning to succumb to the amorous attentions of the attorney who is representing her in the custody fight over their son.

Juarez is spooked when he learns he has to referee a match for his favorite team, Juventus, which is facing possible relegation. He asks for help from his friend and linesman, Carvalhosa, who unleashes a comedy of errors that ends up making everyone look bad. Juarez finds out about the romance between his ex, Manuela, and her lawyer, Rui.

Vitória da Matta, the new lineswoman, is introduced to Juarez and Carvalhosa, who complain about having to referee a match with a woman. The three of them travel to Venezuela for a Libertadores match, where Vitória messes up an important call and places them all in danger. Vitória and Juarez end up in bed.

Juarez flunks the Confederation's physical exam and is put "on ice." His ex-wife Manuela loses her job, and Vini is caught taking drugs at school. To raise money for child support, he is forced to referee a company game. The approach of the Confederation's second physical exam worries Juarez so he tries steroids and is unable to perform in bed with Vitória.

Juarez referees a match between lovely Playboy Bunnies that leaves Vitória fuming with jealousy. He is gradually winning back his ex, Manuela, until she catches him with Vitória, who is invited to pose for Playboy.

Juarez decides to referee a match while getting commentary from Vitória via a hidden hearing aid. During the match, Juarez hears a former soccer star putting the move on Vitória and blows an important call. Vitória breaks up with Juarez and Caponero suspends him for misconduct on the playing field.

With the help of Carvalhosa, Juarez manages to set up a lunch meeting with Caponero to talk about his suspension. But on the way to the restaurant, he remembers there's a soccer match at Vini's school. He decides to keep both appointments, but an incident makes him late for lunch, placing him in an awkward situation professionally.

Rosali asks Juarez and Manu to be witnesses of her wedding to Guzmán. Rui becomes jealous and starts to stalk the Ref's ex-wife. Juarez is kidnapped by a fan enraged at a bad call he made long ago. Seeking clues, Manu, Rosali, Guzmán and Vini join forces to save him.

Rosali and Guzmán get married, with Juarez and Manu as witnesses. Vitória starts a romance with Caponero. Juarez threatens to reveal the affair to the press unless he gets his job back. His boss is now set on destroying his career, but a surprise party for Caponero turns into a game-changer.

Despite criticism in the press, Juarez is assigned to referee the final match of the Libertadores Cup. Thanks to his buddy Carvalhosa, Manu and Juarez are reconciled. In Argentina, the big surprise is seeing Manu and Vini show up as guests of the Russian Zarkhov, owner of one of the teams about to play. With the kick-off of the Libertadores final, Juarez' ethical showdown begins.

Zarkhov tries to bribe Juarez to throw the match, but the Ref does not say whether or not he accepts. The Russian explains that one of the linesmen is also in on the scheme. Manu makes it clear that if he takes the bribe, she's leaving him for good. The teams are tied, until an unbelievable goal clinches the championship. Juarez faces a very difficult call.