Opinion – PVC: Libertadores final will be a cat-and-mouse fight

Abel Ferreira told the website “The Coaches Voice” that he used to play Football Manager in his youth. While his friends chose the strongest teams, Abel preferred the weaker ones. Small teams in the Portuguese second division, such as Penafiel, or medium teams, such as Sporting Braga.

“How did a little guy like Napoleon get big wins? With strategies. With tricks.”
He says he has worked with coaches who trained and others who taught. Those who trained shouted, “Pressure!” Jesualdo Ferreira, his teacher, asked questions like “where are you going?” it’s because?”

“For me, the future is this game of cat and mouse within the same game. Adapting to tactical changes, reacting to the opponent.”

Saying that the Montevideo final will be a game of cat and mouse does not mean to think that Abel will have the advantage. There will be a duel between a team used to attacking, Flamengo, and another that changes according to the circumstances of the matches, Palmeiras.

The best moments in Abel Ferreira’s career were with defensive strategies. It lacks a demonstration of exploiting rivals’ shortcomings by attacking. He shined at Paok, by defeating and eliminating Jorge Jesus’ Benfica from the 2020 Champions League. For Palmeiras, making it difficult for Atlético-MG to play in Mineirão.

He beat Jorge Jesus, but never beat Flamengo, against whom he lost three and drew one.
In the duel of strategies on Saturday (27), the red-black will be the cat, in search of hiding places and attempts to escape the rival, who can behave like a mouse that only added one point of the 27 played against the top six of the Brazilian.

It could also be the rat that beat Renato Gaúcho’s Grêmio in the Brazil Cup decision.
Flamengo’s only question is whether it will start with De Arrascaeta or Michael. In the first case, Felipe Melo, or Danilo, will be the Uruguayan’s watchman, who will be at his home, the Centenário stadium. Abel’s full-back, Mayke or Luan, will worry about Bruno Henrique.

It already seemed likely that the Portuguese would cast a defender in the role. Today, it is more accurate to think of Mayke, faster for the role, even if the attacker to be marked is Michael, the second option.
Renato spoke with Everton Ribeiro, questioned him about the possibility of making him the central midfielder and heard his preference for the right side of the pitch.

In Flamengo’s 3-1 victory at Allianz Parque, in the Brazilian’s second round, Piquerez rose to pressure Isla’s climb, and Zé Rafael watched Everton Ribeiro. It went wrong, when Raphael Veiga did not put pressure on Andreas Pereira and left the midfielder from Palmeira against two markers. Everton Ribeiro was free to cross into Michael’s goal.

Flamengo has more stars and the difference from the final can be there. “If your opponent is on the same level as you, you can attack him”, writes Abel Ferreira. “But sometimes you have to accept that the rival is stronger. And in those cases, you have to be balanced.”

It is not clear whether Abel thinks Flamengo is stronger. It would be logical, given the individual quality of the opponent and for not having beaten him in the four matches. All the more reason to look forward to the start of the game. Don’t overlook the hypothesis that the Palmeiras coach is hiding the team and comes in with three defenders.

Champions pattern

It is possible to imagine that the game of cat and mouse predicted by Abel is similar to the final of the Champions League, between Chelsea and Manchester City. The London team played with three defenders and two defensive midfielders. He tied City up, played well and won accurately on the ball.

Sylvinho

Duilio Monteiro Alves likes the idea of ​​giving Sylvinho continuity. There is pressure to leave, but it is increasingly difficult to deny the quality of the work. The team’s biggest problem is still lack of aggressiveness, but there were 21 submissions against Santos. And victory.