Mais Querido is already drawing up strategies to face the matches in the group stage in La Paz and Bogotá and it is always good to try to understand some of the mistakes and successes of the past
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Altitude. This eight-letter word was the talk of the week at Flamengo and was perhaps the one that Flamengo fans heard the most since the Libertadores group stage draw. Bogotá (2,640m) and La Paz (3,640m), two of the places always feared by Brazilians, entered the red-and-black itinerary once again in April, when they will face the Colombian Millonarios (day 2) and the Bolivian Bolívar (24th).
According to the data collected and organized by ge, Mais Querido's record with departures above 2,500 meters above sea level is not the best. In 14 official games at the top of the hill in South America, the team lost half. They won four and drew three, which is just 35.7%.
The first time at altitude wasn't scary. On October 13, 1981, in the 2,560 meters of Cochabamba, Bolivia, Flamengo beat Jorge Wilstermann 2-1 at the Félix Capriles stadium, in the second phase of the Libertadores. That great team of Zico and company did not repeat the gala performances so common at that time at sea level. Rubro-Negro used the strategy of keeping the ball and won with goals from set pieces.
The second time at altitude was not good at all. On April 8, 1983, Flamengo climbed to 3,640 meters in La Paz, Bolivia, in the group stage of the Libertadores, and lost 3-1. "All the players clearly felt the effects of the altitude", said the newspaper O Globo, at the time.
Moving on to the present, the most recent match in which Fla had to face the mountains was last year. This time in Quito, on April 5th, Rubro-Negro debuted in the Libertadores group stage against the modest Aucas, who were competing in the tournament for the first time, at the Chillogallo stadium. Because of Fla-Flu in the Carioca final in the same week, Vítor Pereira spared players at 2,850 meters of altitude and even saw his team take the lead with Matheus França, but he took a turn under pressure from the Ecuadorians in the second half.
SEE THE RESULTS OF ALL THE OTHER GAMES THAT HAPPENED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS:
- Real Potosí (BOL) 2 X 2 Flamengo
- Cienciano (PER) 0 X 3 Flamengo
- Real Potosí 2 x 1 Flamengo
- Bolívar 1 x 0 Flamengo
- Santa Fé (COL) 0 x 0 Flamengo
- San José (BOL) 0 x 1 Flamengo
- LDU (EQU) 2 x 1 Flamengo
- Del Valle (EQU) 2 x 2 Flamengo
- Del Valle 5 x 0 Flamengo
- LDU 2 x 3 Flamengo
- Del Valle 1 x 0 Flamengo< /p>
The club has a different point of view from the coach
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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 MISTAKE THAT COSTED EXTREMELY DEARLYThe 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.
The club has its greatest moment of inconstancy
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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.
CAN IT GO BAD AT THE MOMENT?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.
The red-black goalkeeper was the best on the field in the match against Bolívar
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Flamengo didn't have many opportunities to celebrate when playing at extreme altitudes, but when they did, they owed a lot to their goalkeepers who were red-and-black heroes high in the mountains. Rossi was a fundamental part of Mais Querido's classification against Bolívar.
Rossi made seven saves during the match, including a very difficult one in the second half and was thus voted the best player on the field after the defeat by 1 to 0 against Bolívar in the 3640m in La Paz, in which Mais Querido guaranteed classification. In this way, the archer repeated a feat performed by Diego Alves in the 2019 Libertadores da América.
A curious fact that links the two in these matches is that they both played in Flamengo. Diego Alves even reposted a post on Instagram stories with a photo of him next to Rossi and praising the shirt. Another coincidence was the opposing goalkeeper: in both cases it was Lampe.
In addition to the saves and miracles, what also caught attention and fans compared and made memes on social media is the ability to cool down matches by waxing. The experienced Diego Alves has always been seen as a specialist in tying up the game. Last Thursday, Rossi gained precious seconds for the team to breathe during the ball throw-ins, which even the president of Bolívar made criticize Flamengo's Argentine goalkeeper.
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