Opinion – Tostão: In football, the show begins when the state championships are over

In addition to the Covid epidemic, which has not ended, Brazil is experiencing an epidemic of insanity, lack of common sense, lack of knowledge, biased decisions, radicalism, lies and distortion of facts. Many people only see and hear what they want.

I wrote that Neymar, when he retreats too much, has at least four players ahead, two defensive midfielders and two defenders. Against Chile, more advanced, he received the ball between the two sectors, with only two defenders to reach the goal. A reader deduced that I am prejudiced against centre-forwards. On the contrary, I love great strikers.

This weekend, the state ends. The new president of the CBF, if he wants to show that he has nothing to do with the promiscuous previous administrations, he must reduce the time of the state ones, improve the stadiums and lawns, end the matches on the same date as the national team games and many other details. .

Grêmio has everything to be the gaucho champion. In Minas Gerais, Atlético has more chances, but the rivalry, the emotion of the classic and the good performances of Cruzeiro diminish the technical superiority. Off the field, the more I hear and read about Cruzeiro’s negotiations for the sale of the club, the more confused I become. The hole, the hole, is much lower.

In Rio, Flamengo is the favorite against Fluminense. Tricolor was doing very well, undefeated for a long time, but lost peace, after the disappointing elimination in Libertadores and the bad performance in the defeat to Botafogo. At Flamengo, there is a distrust in the changes in the lineup and in the way of playing made by coach Paulo Sousa.

São Paulo and Palmeiras make the final of Paulista. Against Bragantino, Palmeiras explored the huge spaces left by the opponent, with the fast Rony and, mainly, Dudu, with the help of Marcos Rocha’s precise passes. The full-back, who has always been a good point guard, learned how to score with Abel Ferreira.

São Paulo has improved and has been playing vibrant and organized football, like Palmeiras. It lacks more individual brilliance compared to the best Brazilian teams. The young Rodrigo Nestor, since last year, has been the main highlight of the team. He is getting better every day. The accurate pass, first, between the defenders, for the side Wellington to finish, was spectacular. He combines lucidity and technique, important characteristics to become a great player. In fact, finally, we have seen young and excellent point guards in Brazilian teams, such as Nestor, Danilo, from Palmeiras, Allan, from Atlético, and others.

Corinthians, eliminated by São Paulo, didn’t press, didn’t finish and didn’t score. Did nothing. It is also unacceptable that the team spends so much money to hire good reinforcements and does not have, in the reserve, a reasonable, average right-back to replace Fagner, injured. The justifications that the team was tired and that they have had little time to train are understandable, but they are not good excuses for errors in the lineup and substitutions made by the coach.

In Brazil, when there is no epidemic, they say that things really start after Carnival. In football, the show begins when the state championships end and the Brasileirão, Libertadores, the best matches of the Copa do Brasil and the knockout matches of the European Champions League begin, which increasingly fascinate the Brazilian public. The world is one. Just one click.