Opinion – Juca Kfouri: A Hurricane rocks Palmeiras

When Palmeiras won the 2020 Libertadores, it was clear that they beat River Plate in the semifinals, which was superior to them, unlike Santos, in the decision.

The following year, he eliminated Atlético Mineiro, who was also better, and played in the final with Flamengo face to face.

Nobody has any doubt that Palmeiras has more quality than Athletico Paranaense and, however, they ended up eliminated at home.

Do what?

Complaining about luck, arbitrage, the injustices of life, the price of gasoline, etc.

Or defender Murilo for an unjustifiable sole on Vitor Roque when Palmeiras was the absolute owner of the game, at the end of the first half.

Ah, yes, before, in the 27th minute, Alex Santana exaggerated in the push-push with Rony, and Abel Ferreira, in addition to all the Palmeiras fans, is so far dissatisfied – and will remain for his entire life and three more months – for not sending the player off. athletic.

At the risk of being banned from entering the green house, I consider that expelling the player at that moment would be exaggerated and would spoil the game. The yellow card was good.

And the referees wanted to preserve the spectacle so much that even for Murilo the card immediately shown was also the yellow card, which changed color just because VAR called.

The hard truth, naked and raw, is unfavorable to Palmeiras.

With one less, the team reached 2 to 0 and was unable to maintain the difference that would have been worth the ticket to Ecuador.

Football stuff.

Suspended and prevented from being on the bench, from a box in the stadium, a 73-year-old man, named Luiz Felipe Scolari, did not want to know about holding the 0 to 1, betting on penalties.

He put in the contested Pablo, put in the Uruguayan David Terans, left Fernandinho alone to take care of the midfield and… with goals from Pablo and Terans, he tied the game.

The coach of the five-time world championship of the Brazilian team will enjoy his fourth continental final — once champion with Grêmio, in 1995, another with Palmeiras, in 1999, and runner-up, in 2000, with the same Palmeiras.

The rare reader and the rare reader have every right to dislike his style of football and, even more, his political views. But to deny its competence is as unfair as it is useless, because it is belied by the facts.

Athletico will go to Guayaquil, on October 29, in the role of underdog as he traveled to São Paulo.

Doubting that he can return to Curitiba as a champion is another broad, general and unrestricted right.

But prudence demands that we doubt in moderation.