Author: Vishwajit Sawant
In a disappointing prelude to the Copa do Brasil final, Flamengo performed poorly on Wednesday night, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat against Athletico-PR.
3-0 against Athletico-PR
at the Kleber Andrade Stadium in Cariacica, ES. To make matters worse, this defeat could see Flamengo drop out of the G-4 in the Brazilian Championship.
Flamengo coach Jorge Sampaoli spoke at the post-match press conference, lamenting the result and explaining his line-up choices, which were being analyzed.
Sampaoli explained: “Thiago (Maia) was in the line-up due to Filipe’s injury, and we didn’t have many alternatives. I wanted to replicate the plan we used against Botafogo, adapting to Pulgar’s absence, using David (Luiz) as a pivot to reinforce the five-man defensive line. We predicted a team that excels at crossing, similar to our strategy against Botafogo, but with different player names.“
When asked about the team’s poor performance and why fans should believe in Flamengo’s chances in the Copa do Brasil final against São Paulo, Sampaoli remained optimistic, citing the team’s strong showing against Botafogo. He declared: “I have faith in this final, in these two crucial games that could guarantee the club a title. Although today’s game was nervy, playing as a home team usually brings more inaccuracies. I’m still hopeful“.
Sampaoli also addressed the impact of the fans’ protests, assessed his work with the team, explained the decision not to use Allan and acknowledged the challenge of facing São Paulo in the next final. Despite this setback, he emphasized his determination to help Flamengo secure the title in a season full of challenges and expectations.