Opinion – Sandro Macedo: Not even the Champions League is imbrochable

Always doubt, dear reader, dear reader, when they say that someone or something is “imbrochable”. By the way, let’s change the term to “non-brochante”, just to get a little closer to the motherland language, after all, the motherland is in its anniversary week. Let there be candle.

In the wonderful world of sport, there is no competition that is free from a possible blunder, nor the famous and talked about Champions League is free from letting the fans down from time to time.

Before starting this year’s competition, which has just had the first round, some website brought a headline that read something like “watch the six unmissable games of the first phase of the Champions”. Okay, I’m done.

The competition that is considered the best in the world has only “six unmissable games” in the first phase? In 48? And one of the six matches to keep an eye on was Real Madrid vs Red Bull Leipzig. Wow, for everything, Real Madrid vs Leipzig.

The first round went by with a good performance from some of the highlight Brazilians of the selection (viva, Tite), including Richarlison, Vinicius Junior and the intrepid Neymar, giving a pass for the most beautiful goal of the first day of competition (from his close enemy Mbappé). Even goalkeeper Alisson, who will be a starter in the Cup, took a penalty in the disappointing debut of the famous Liverpool, who lost by 4.

Among the rich Englishmen, another game that failed was that of Chelsea, world champions against Palmeiras, who lost to Dinamo Zagreb, one of the best Dynamos today. If Palmeiras had faced the Londoners last week, they would certainly have won. As they have a Brazilian-style management, the Blues did not even wait to see the second round and fired the German coach Thomas Tuchel – who in the recently ended transfer window would have barred the hiring of Cris Ronaldo, which pissed off the new owner of the toy.

And in Brazilian lands? Palmeiras drew in the last round with Red Bull Bragantino, giving the impression that the championship would catch fire in the final third in a dispute with Flamengo. But the next day the red-black also drew, with Ceará, at home. Brochante, both for the fans of the Rio team (I imagine) and for the championship, which continues with the firm and strong alviverde heading towards the title.

Even at the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the season, there was a bit of a downer before the finals that will take place over the weekend. All because, in women’s, the crowd filled the court in the first rounds, to see Serena Williams in her last tournament – unfortunately, she was eliminated in the third round. And in the men’s (without Novak DjoCovid antivaccine), Rafael Nadal fell prematurely in the round of 16, the same phase that overthrew the still number one Daniil Medvedev.

So the men’s tournament should have Casper Ruud or Karen Khachanov in the final against Carlos Alcaraz or Frances Tiafoe. Nice renovation and already necessary for the modality (Alcaraz will be one of the big ones in the next few years), but a little boring for the most common fan.

In the wonderful world of coaches, the main news of the last few days came from Série B, not from A. Grêmio hired Renato Gaúcho for the 94th time (more or less). On a television program, a dear reporter said that Professor Renato arrived “for his most difficult mission” at the club. Seriously?

With all due respect to rivals, but Grêmio in crisis, playing poorly, sacking coach, has six points more than the first team outside the G4 of Serie B (which ranks precisely the top four). In other words, Professor Renato arrives for the final ten rounds and may lose up to five points in relation to the fifth place… Easier than proof with consultation.