Nevertheless, his performance also made him be frequently fouled by the Poles. For the next match, against Czechoslovakia, he was not in the ideal conditions, but the Brazilian staff, concerned for possible punishment in using Niginho in Leônidas place, preferred to keep Leônidas in the team; Italian Football Federation had warned FIFA about Niginho's irregular condition: this player, who had Italian Citizenship, was still legally attached to Lazio, the club he left without permission in 1936, due to fear of being recruited by the Italian Army to the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. Leônidas managed to score against the Czechs, but his injuries got worse, making him definitely unable to be used in the next game – the semifinal against Italy. Brazil lost the match 2–1 and for many years the coach Adhemar Pimenta was criticized as many fans, not aware of Lêonidas true poor conditions, believed his absence was just an option arrogantly made by Pimenta "to rest the player for the final". This version still circulates, despite the fact that Leônidas had written a letter, which was published by certain newspapers at the time, in which he clarified that Pimenta had no choice but to rest him due to the Niginho affair.