Author: Vishwajit Sawant
The goalless draw between
Flamengo and Internacional in the Serie A of the Brazilian Championship
on Saturday 26th left the Maracanã stadium echoing with chants of disappointment from the red-black fans, who described the team as “shameless”. However, Flamengo coach Jorge Sampaoli firmly refuted the label, saying that the club’s trajectory this season had been projected as challenging from the start.
Sampaoli stressed that, despite the goalless result, Flamengo showed a strong spirit throughout the match, but struggled with accuracy. In the coach’s press conference, he highlighted the team’s intent and effort, citing the creation of the best chances on the pitch. He believed that, with a better shot, Flamengo could have won against an Inter side that was playing with most of its starters.
Jorge Sampaoli: “In this game, the team had plenty of chances to win, but lacked composure when it came to scoring. Compared to other games, I think there was a lack of connection. Today, the team had four clear goals in the first half. In the second half, there was a lot of volume. We’re erratic in the last area. Honestly, I think the team fought until the last second and I think that when we get up in quality, the results will show up“.
Addressing a run of three consecutive draws at home, including matches against América-MG, São Paulo and Inter, Sampaoli highlighted the different context of each game. He particularly emphasized that the team’s intensity, intent and desire had not been lacking in recent matches, contrary to the narrative of reduced effort. Sampaoli acknowledged the challenges posed by the unstable pitch, but maintained that the team’s performance remained motivated and dynamic.
Flamengo’s next game will be against Botafogo at Nilton Santos on Saturday 2nd, kick-off at 9pm (Brasília time). With a week full of training sessions, the team is looking to recover its spirits after being eliminated from the Copa Libertadores. Despite the discontent among fans after the draw, Sampaoli’s unwavering defense of the squad’s commitment and effort underscores his determination to steer Flamengo through the challenging period and on to greater success.