[ad_1]
Group A of the Libertadores was complicated for Flamengo from the draw. Because there was Independiente Del Valle, champion of the South American Championship, and it also complicated the logistics, even with the height. After the 5-0 in Quito for Miguel Ángel Ramírez’s team and the Covid surge, in addition to Junior de Barranquilla’s surprising victory over Del Valle himself in the next round, the scenario became apparently more complicated.
But the team that emerged from all these difficulties consolidated not only the advanced classification but also the first place and the third best overall campaign. Thanks to the 4 to 0 over Del Valle and, closing the group stage, the 3 to 1 over Junior, both in Maracanã.
With Domènec Torrent forced by circumstances to choose a practically substitute team. With Bruno Henrique, the starter suspended for the match against International on Sunday taking the lead from the Brazilian, and Vitinho, likely substitute for last year’s “King of America”, since it is very possible that De Arrascaeta can return to the team. in Beira-Rio.
However, the very busy team did not disappoint. On the contrary, he was even surprised by the good performance. Because if Junior seemed resigned to the place in South America and was somewhat passive in the game, that formation had never been used and at times he felt a natural lack of sympathy.
But he managed to execute the ideas of the Catalan coach. Yes, the positional game so much discussed, criticized and misunderstood. Even without time to train, it is clear that with the sequence of games the athletes will understand the concepts.
Like full-backs Matheuzinho and Renê working on the inside at various times, supporting Willian Arão and Diego in the midfield. Always generating passing lines for boards and triangulations and leaving the amplitude for Michael and Bruno Henrique at the ends. But with freedom of movement, alternating many times with Lincoln and Vitinho, again Arrascaeta’s “double” moving and looking for spaces between the defense and the rival midfield.
It doesn’t matter if the opponent was weak. The execution would already be complex even in training, because players need to know when to move and when to keep position. The response from the collective work was very positive.
As important as the goals from Thuler, Lincoln and Bruno Henrique, in addition to the ball on the post in a nice shot by Vitinho in the first half, it was naturally more intense than the second, already in training rhythm and that had a small scare in Teo’s goal. Gutiérrez, without compiling himself, who was slow and disorganized.
By that time the boys João Gomes and Lázaro were already on the field to save Aaron, who was hanging, and Vitinho. Bruno Henrique’s goal in a beautiful header that ended up giving the award to the best in the field by Conmebol, made the game calm and ideal for the boys to win minutes and release. Dome did not even have to resort to Isla, Gerson, Everton Ribeiro and Pedro, who were on the bench due to a possible difficulty in the match.
The reserves reciprocated because most have been playing in this rotation out of conviction and / or necessity of the coach. And they have already assimilated the ideas, which at first encountered resistance even due to the “duel” of Jorge Jesús’s departure, but now they are executed more naturally.
“They are happy on the pitch,” Domènec said at the post-match press conference. The technician also smiles, relieved and already with a certain pride for the work he does, despite all the obstacles.
