"IT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL PIECE IN EVERYTHING", SAYS HUGO SOUSA WHEN TALKING ABOUT DIEGO RIBAS AT FLAMENGO

Creates from Flamengo's academy, the goalkeeper Hugo Souza experienced ups and downs with Manto Sagrado, from the status of new Dida to a disposable player at the club.  The archer spent the last European season on loan at Chaves, from Portugal. However, Hugo still has a contract with Flamengo, who is not planning a return at this time. 

On vacation in Brazil, the goalkeeper was the guest of the Charla Podcast, last Friday (14). In the conversation, Hugo revealed a locker room conversation with Diego Ribas and cited the player's importance to Flamengo's victorious squad.

“Diego (Ribas) is a great review, Filipe, the guys had the soul of kids , in the review, joking, all the time. The most annoying one was Arão, he challenged everything, but he was a great bore,” he said, before completing.

“Diego there was a fundamental player in everything. Backstage, locker room, conversation. When the player wasn't feeling very well, he knew when to call the guy and talk. It happened to me. When I went through a moment where the fans were criticizing, he called me in the corner and said “I look at the goal, I see you, I'm safe. It's damn hard to score against you, look at your size, your wingspan, your posture. But the security that I feel, everyone will only feel when you lift your head and understand that you are good, you are not playing for nothing. You are good at what you do.” These are the types of conversations, he's the guy who knows how to win the locker room, he's the natural captain. Diegão is such a beast, he represents a lot.”

David Luiz fulfills a similar role

One of the athletes most mentioned by almost all Flamengo players, David Luiz was also mentioned by Hugo. In the goalkeeper's opinion, the defender does the job of 'big daddy', especially with the kids at the academy who go up to the pros, in addition to having changed Rodinei's life.

“That's what David (Luiz ) does today. David takes even greater care with the kids, he knows how to call him the kid who is coming up, the one who is upset. He does this big daddy job, that's his job. He wants to see others well. He does it from the heart. David changed Rodinei's life. If he doesn't arrive in Rodinei's life, he wouldn't have performed what he performed. Rodinei reached his technical peak following David's tips. What he did to Rodinei, he does to everyone. I was upset because I wasn't playing, he came into the dressing room, I was sitting alone looking at the phone, he arrived and said that football doesn't go with sadness, the day I understand that I have to be happy to play, and not play To be happy, things will start to work out”, he stated.