Opinion – Sandro Macedo: And Jesus saved Christmas and New Year

While this column was being written, Brazilian champion Atlético-MG was in talks to hire Jorge Jesus. If you fool around, announce it this year (is it?).

This is after the end of the soap opera, with a Mexican air, “resurrect Jesus at Christmas Flamengo”, with an unhappy ending for most of Flamengo’s fans, addicted to JJ — and happy for a good part of Benfica’s fans.

Not even my wife was exempt from discussions about Jesus. She participates in an online group —not related to football— with a group of Portuguese people. The conversation between Benfica fans in the group was: “We got rid of Jesus”. My wife replied, “Here’s everyone after him”; and the Portuguese online colleague replied, “I pay the ticket”.

And so Jesus saved the news for Christmas, and New Year, who knew. At this time of year, there are basically two types of news in national football: 1) The end-of-the-year party games, which are absurdly highlighted on TV, in the absence of anything else. Some are even broadcast live, featuring under-12 singers, actors and stars; and 2) The “speculatol”. A shower of news that shakes fans for days and goes nowhere. An example: Diego Souza. Dear Diego Souza is on vacation in the United States. Perhaps enjoying 50 years at the Walt Disney Resort or having fun in a Las Vegas casino.

Relegated to Serie B with Grêmio, Diego Souza mobilized Vasco’s news, who spread the word that he wants the player, but he can’t pay — and has the support of the crowd via social networks (this part would be comical if it wasn’t tragic). Afterwards, the attacking midfielder started to be “produced” by Sport, another negotiation that depends on salary reduction. And then, all of a sudden, Grêmio realized that, if they were to have a Serie B salary, they could continue with Diego Souza. Wooooo.

Diego Souza is just an example. We have several others. Douglas Costa, Diego Costa, Philippe Coutinho, Soteldo, etc. But don’t think that this happens only in the national press. Remember how many teams Messi was speculated on before signing with PSG? Or Cris Ronaldo with Manchester United?

So we come back to Jesus. The former Benfica coach is the main news of the day, every day, feeding the press in Rio, Minas, São Paulo (for lack of anything else), Lisbon and even Poland — a side effect of the soap opera Flamengo -JJ was the hiring of Paulo Sousa by the red-black team, defrauding the Polish team on the eve of the recap to take Lewandovski’s country to the World Cup.

Paulo Sousa, who is also Portuguese, is being decried by the Polish press. This case reveals only one thing: the Polish national coach must pay poorly, compared to Flamengo’s offer. It would be unlikely that Sousa would give up the chance to play in a World Cup if it weren’t for more money at the Brazilian club.

So let’s wait for the next news around the JJ phenomenon, which should become a streaming series. Does Jesus sign with Atlético? How will Jesus’ relationship with the ex-Porto Hulk be? Can Jesus-2022 be better than Jesus-2019? Can Jesus-2022 be better than Cuca-2021? Does Jesus know what the Minas Gerais Championship is? Who is Abel’s neighbor?

For these and others, the sports press can only be grateful: save, Jesus.