Opinion – Juca Kfouri: Flamengo got off the pedestal and played with his heart on the tip of his boot

After the devastating defeats of Flamengo and Bayern Munich last week, which earned them humiliating eliminations from the national cups, both recovered by playing in their respective championships.

To no one’s surprise, the Bavarians went 5-2 away from home at Union Berlin and maintained their lead in the tournament on straight points.

The same cannot be said of the red-black victory.

Firstly, because the triumph was less expected than the draw, a good result for Atlético Mineiro at Maracanã, and even the defeat was more predictable in front of the complete leader and with morale high.

Without Rodrigo Caio, vetoed in the locker room, David Luíz, Filipe Luís, De Arrascaeta, with reserve Pedro also out of combat, all handed over to Gávea’s problematic medical department, winning, winning or winning turned into defending, defending or defending. It worked out.

Unlike Bayern, Flamengo did not thrash or even please, but did what they could by coming down from the pedestal and playing with the recognition of their opponent’s superiority.

The stadium gods in their infinite wisdom wanted two substitutes, the contested defender Léo Pereira and the devilish Michael, to be the names of the game, the first by putting Hulk in his pocket and the second by scoring the solitary goal of the classic that was worth more than Bayern’s rout, because not only against much more qualified rivals, but mainly because the 1-0 kept the Brazilian Championship alive and the dream of the third consecutive still alive for the Cariocas.

The nation, suspicious, although with 36,000 tickets available, did not show up in the expected amount.

Of the 25,000 present, most were willing to push the team as they actually did throughout the game, more fighting than playing.

It’s impossible to say what would happen if the result was disappointing, but what we saw was the team with the heart at the end of their boots and their coach with a short topknot because Renato Gaúcho knew he was very close to seeing the stadium’s main gate, literally, the one on the street.

As life is hard, and the Brazilian football calendar is hell, this Tuesday (2), there is more, ironically and, who knows, redemption, in the Arena da Baixada, against the executioner Athletico Paranaense, Borussia Mönchengladbach do Flamengo.

If they keep their topknot and heels low, if instead of cleats with arrogant cleats, Flamengo will go back to playing according to their current difficulties, with the so-called sandals of humility, even without pleasing the critics, just in search of three more points , it can heat up the title dispute once and for all. And leaving Galo, who coddled on Saturday morning in Rio, with the well-known nightmares that have lasted 50 years, evident in his disappointing performance against the cob of corn that has been stuck in his throat since the early 1980s.

More than being calm at this time, the miners did not get rid of the red-black karma.

Let’s remember that two rounds ago, against Goiás namesake, also red and black, Atlético lost 18 games unbeaten, when taking the turn to 2-1, in Goiânia.

If that wasn’t enough, in the 33rd round, it will have, in Curitiba, the red-black Hurricane ahead.

And Palmeiras?

Palmeiras gains strength, four straight victories, and shows that Raphael Veiga and Scarpa can play together.