EYE ON THE RIVAL! BOTAFOGO HAS INTERNAL PROBLEMS, WHICH COMPLICATES THE BATTLE FOR THE TITLE

In an interview given after the defeat of Flamengoto Peñarol, 1-0, coach Tite was direct in responding to the boos received by the fans. The statement, marked by a frank tone, exposed the coach's pragmatic vision in relation to demanding fans and the pressure for results. “I respect the fans’ feelings. Of course I feel that (the boos), I'm human”, said Tite, recognizing the fans' frustration in the face of the setback.

Tite's speech reveals that he understands the role of fans as a fundamental part in the context of a club, especially in a team of great expression like Flamengo. By mentioning that the boos affect him as a human being, the coach demonstrates empathy, but does not fail to highlight that the only way to reverse this situation is with achievements on the field. “It can only be reversed in one way”, pointed out the coach.

The response reflects the experience of Titein dealing with pressure who follows the command of great teams in Brazilian football. With successful spells at clubs such as Corinthians, Grêmio and the Brazilian national team itself, the coach has a track record that puts him in a position to understand, perhaps like few others, the relationship between performance on the field and fans' expectations. For him, this connection is clear: “Do you know how to win fans? Do you know how I won over the fans of the other clubs I played for? Win an important title”, he declared.

The phrase highlights the centrality of titles in football, especially in mass clubs like Flamengo. In Brazil, the culture of results is intense, and Tite recognizes that fans have a limited tolerance for negative results. Winning titles, for him, is the key to gaining the support of the fans, and anything other than that results in discontent: “If not, bye.”

This last part of Tite's speech summarizes the characteristic impatience of demanding fans like Flamengo. The coach makes it clear that, without obtaining relevant trophies, the relationship with the fans deteriorates quickly. The pressure is constant and is part of the daily life of those who take on the leadership of top teams. Tite seems, however, to be aware of this scenario and how it needs to be faced.

Tite's statement came after a delicate moment for Flamengo. The defeat to Peñarol, at home, in a group stage match of the Copa Libertadores, raised alarm bells for fans and the coaching staff. Flamengo had high expectations for the season, especially after major reinforcements and the arrival of Tite, a coach with wide recognition on the national and international scene.

The pressure on Flamengo is nothing new. The club, which has one of the biggest fans in the world, is known for its high expectations for titles. The expensive squad, made up of renowned players, also increases this demand. Each stumble is widely covered by the media and amplifies the dissatisfaction of part of the fans, who demand immediate results.

The Copa Libertadores, in particular, has a important meaning for Flamengo and its fans. The continental tournament is seen as one of the club's main objectives each season. Any result other than victory can generate dissatisfaction and pressure on the technical committee, as occurred after the setback against Peñarol.

In this context, Tite's speech not only recognizes the fans' dissatisfaction, but also is realistic in relation to what is expected from a club like Flamengo. The demand for titles is part of the package when taking over a club of this size, and the coach seems to be aware of this when he points out that he will only be able to win the support of the fans with significant victories.

After the draw at Nilton Santos, John Textor, owner of SAF do Botafogo, spoke about the problems with Julio Casares, president of São Paulo. He defended that the two have a good relationship and also cited recent statements by Rodolfo Landim, Flamengo's president, who has criticized Alvinegro's high investments.

"I really appreciate that Julio [Casares] is here tonight. He was one of the first to welcome me to Brazil in a very good way. I know you are all reporting a lot of conversations about everything that happened last year, or maybe not happened, about fair play issues. It's important for people to understand that presidents can still be friends, they can be very civil with each other, they can advocate for their public policy views. As a friend, I would say it was great to see you here. We gave each other a big hug because we hadn't seen each other in a long time. In the Libra days, he was one of the people who welcomed me best."

"We are building an organization, a team. we are spending considerably less than what the fair play law says about 75% of our income on sales and player salaries. I think the Landimthe other day said that we needed to have rules because places like Brazil don't have these rules, if an investor comes and takes advantage of the fact that we don't have the rules. But we are in full agreement with all definitions of financial fair play around the world. I was the first to talk about it. I said if we don't do something about the salary cap and invite foreign investment, it will come from sovereign wealth nations with money and oil, then we really have a problem. I'm a lawyer for financial fair play."

Casares has already had fights with the owner of SAF do Glorioso amid accusations of match-fixing for the 2023 Brazilian Championship. The feud, however, remained in the background given the great repercussion of Textor's clashes with Leila Pereira, president of Palmeiras, the board of Tricolor São Paulo took action against the owner of SAF do Botafogo in several legal spheres.

In relation to. Landim, the president of Flamengo, has criticized Botafogo's high investment in several interviews. He argues that Brazil needs financial fair play to stop the money from SAFs.