Nobody understood why ‘Sampa’ changed to half the team when ‘Mengao’ was beating Bahia 1-3…
… but, in the press conference, he clarified everything: five injured asked for the change during the break!
Jorge Sampaoli, genius and figure where they exist, starred in a still unusual event in Serie A of the Brasileirao: He made five changes at halftime in the Bahia-Flamengo game, and that his team was leading 3-1.
Nobody understood at the Arena Fonte Nova stadium, why the Argentine coach removed the goalkeeper from the team with a stroke of the pen Matheus Cunha (which was his bet), to the central veteran David Luiz (who had finally scored his first goal with the Flamengo shirt), the midfielder thiago maya (who is a key footballer in the balance of the Rio de Janeiro team), the young diamond Matheus France (who had opened the scoring) and the winger Everton Cebolinha.
Instead, they entered the goalkeeper Saints (who was the undisputed starter until a week ago), the right-back Wesley (who was one step away from signing for Barça Atlètic in the winter market)the ex-Blaugrana Arturo vidal, his teammate, Thumb and the end bruno henrique.
The mystery was not solved until the former Sevilla coach appeared at the press conference after the matchwhich Flamengo, by the way, ended up winning 2-3 against a Bahia that ended with 9 players due to the expulsion of Rezende and Kanu.
“All changes were due to injury. All the players asked me out. The four outfield players asked me in the locker room. And when we were going to leave, the doctor told me that the goalkeeper could not continue due to a muscle injury. I was forced to do it. It surprised even me to have to make a decision like this, but we are playing so many games… that I felt forced”, clarified the Argentine coach.
The Flamengo communication department reported in a brief statement the physical state of the injured: “The players Everton Cebolinha, with a sprained left ankle, Matheus França, with a blow to the knee, David Luiz, with pain in the posterior muscle of his right leg and Matheus Cunha, with pain in the hip and thigh right, they will be evaluated again this Sunday. For his part, Thiago Maia felt a wear and tear and asked to be replaced”.
Despite the scare, the ‘Mengao’ added their second consecutive victory in the Brasileirao. It’s a huge win for Sampaolibecause, despite the tactical evolution of his team, the good results had not yet arrived.
In the absence of this Sunday’s matches, Flamengo is already ranked fifth, in the access zone to the Copa Libertadores, with 9 points, 6 behind Botafogo, who is the only one who has achieved a ‘full to 15’ in the first five dayss. The team led by the Portuguese louis castro has a very affordable start in the field of Goiás, which occupies one of the relegation positions.
