2023-06-29 14:38:56
There aren’t many things in life that allow for redemption as quickly as football. Sometimes just a few minutes of distance between failure and glory; between delivering a goal and scoring a goal. And the fan’s passion allows for the simplest solution, as long as the balance is positive at the end of the match, everything else doesn’t matter. We are practical and playful. We deceive ourselves for little, after all.
Those people who live on the other side of the border, which we call Castilian (don’t give me “brother” that I’m not the brother of someone who doesn’t like me) consider that the Copa Libertadores starts, strictly speaking, now. They almost always take the group stage in a “water bath”. They play enough (at most) to secure themselves in the next phase and not even the benefit of being able to play the second knockout match at home makes them cheer up a little more.
And you can see that even with that air of indolence (actually it is presumption, typical of these people), they still have many more titles than us Brazilians. By the way, we can’t complain either, after all, with the history of “football art” we live “lying in a splendid cradle” for a long time.
No, we cannot be proud of the football presented by Internacional in the first phase of the competition, but there is nothing to talk about the result. We played at maximum pro spend and still led the pack. It doesn’t differ from the last matches in the national championship, we played purely for the money and we beat teams that manage to play even worse than the football that Inter had been presenting. The best first half of the season was yesterday, although we had already shown other glimpses of football even in the Libertadores.
Overall, maybe it was the best match, if we align performance and (necessity) result. We didn’t suffer effectively, we knew how to make quality transitions, we improved in the collective sense of what it means to play football and we found some players who, if they are not the eighth wonder of the world in terms of football players, at least know how to make honest rice and beans. Is there enough left? Yes. Do I still have distrust in the work of the coach? Many. But I will allow myself to dream, after all, there are not many things in life that allow, so quickly, redemption just like football; sometimes, just a few minutes of distance between failure and glory.
I once coached my oldest boy’s team in an indoor soccer interseries. It was the best team, by far, but they lost the first game to some shitty kids. They went off and my kid, as a goalkeeper, missed one of the goals conceded. I worked only mentally and changed the goalkeeper. Yes, I put my own son on the bench. Due to knee problems (which still accompany him today), he had not trained for almost two months in order to compete in the competition. He lost reflex and agility, crucial for an indoor goalkeeper. The team didn’t lose anymore and ended the first phase playing “for spending”, but winning.
Before the first game of the finals, we went to the locker room and I only said one thing: “You’ve already used all of your lucky quota, now that’s another story. Play football, no one will stop you”. They were champions.
Internacional has used all of its luck in this first phase of the Libertadores. Now it’s another story. If you play football and with the addition of quality, nobody holds a champion.
Let us know that Libertadores starts right now. And now it’s another story.
SHORTS
– Mano Menezes improved in relation to himself. It’s been days since he’s been seeing the same ‘missing football’ as me. I hope your ego is victorious. Thus, we will win too;
– Maurício is a good player by today’s standards. He should be better recognized;
– Satisfied with the ‘debut’ of Luiz Adriano… Which doesn’t make a high light…;
– But there are two that still owe a lot: Carlos de Pena and Vitão.
– Renê needs to find himself again after the injury. A lesson that also applies to Bustos;
– It must be recognized that Rômulo is a pleasant surprise, a football worker. Just like Jean Dias, although sometimes his legs get in the way;
– The synergy of the fans with the team returned. May everyone take the opportunity to turn this into magical moments;
– And that the board withstand the financial fireworks and take courage. The time is now!
QUESTION
Shall we go again, Colorada Nation?
Never doubt Inter, Beira Rio and its People. Never doubt Colorado!
PACHECO
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