EX - FLAMENGO SAYS HE SEEKED PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP AFTER HARD CRITICISM FROM THE FANS: "I HAD TO STAY STRONG"!

Goalkeeper Hugo Souza, created by Ninho and ex-Flamengo, is currently at Chaves, in Portugal, where he was loaned by Rubro Negro. The archer begins his career in Portuguese football after a promising start at Mais Querido and periods of ups and downs in the team.

Hugo now sees a new path in Portugal. He says that the feeling is one of great gratitude after going through delicate moments at Flamengo, where he wouldn't have much space after hiring competitors for the position. Now, after nine games in Europe, the archer is thrilled with the fulfillment of his professional desire.

"Everyone has the dream of playing in Europe, and Chaves opened the doors for me at a time when I would have few opportunities to play at Flamengo. I needed to go out and play. Chaves was a club that fulfilled everything it said in the negotiation", he told ESPN.

The goalkeeper was promoted to Flamengo's professional team in 2020 so he could "help" a team that was patched up due to a COVID outbreak. Hugo Souza left the club in the middle of this year, after experiencing a turbulent moment at Ninho do Urubu due to criticism.

The problems increased mainly after the charge he started receiving after failing against São Paulo, in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Copa do Brasil. At Maracanã, with the match tied at 1-1, Hugo received a backward ball, tried to dribble past Brenner and lost the ball, in the move that defined the defeat.

Hugo Souza said that after experiencing all the turbulence, he sought psychological help. In addition to a trip to Portugal, he needed to turn things around and look for a professional in the area to take care of his emotional situation, which was the big difference in having peace and facing a new phase in football.

"After a time I sought psychological support, I don't have that much time. I usually had a lot of meetings with my pastor, who is a friend of mine and helped me a lot with this. But it's different when you can be accompanied by a professional in the field. I have close monitoring and I see a very big difference. It has helped me a lot. I had to stay strong because the pressure at Flamengo is great. When the blows come from outside the fans and the media, it is strong. The same fans and the media that put you up there when you play a good game, they knock you down when you don't do so well and don't meet expectations", says Hugo, completing.

"I have good numbers for Flamengo: 71 games and titles won, but this it was the result of work. I also had bad moments and failures like any other player. With me, everything took on a slightly greater proportion than expected, but also because people expected more from me. I had to stay strong and seek help from the people I love to get here and do a good job", said Hugo Souza in an interview with ESPN.