World Soccer - UK (2022-01)

Palmeiraswereplayingtheir 10 5th
gamein 38 7 days,with Ferreira
lamentingthathecouldn’t“givehis
best”because“theBrazilian calendar
isinsane andinhuman.” Thiswas notthe
barnstormingFlamengoofyesteryear,
buta feeble,disjointedgroupofplayers,
withno leadershipandnoplan.Inthe
72ndminute,followinga quickone-two
withDe Arrascaeta,GabrielBarbosa
equalised,aidedbyWeverton’sfailure
toprotect hisnearpost.
Flamengoneverimpressednortruly
imposedthemselves.Ferreirarevelled
inhisopponent’simpotence,weighing
upthe gamelikeachessmatchhe
wouldultimatelywin.Inextra-time,
Deyverson,introducedforhisselfless,
energeticattitudeinsteadofthemore
experiencedLuizAdriano,capitalised
whenAndreasPerreiraswitchedoff,2-1.
TheblunderwassymbolicofFlamengo’s
defensive frailties.Ferreirashoreduphis
midfieldwithFelipeMelo,the ultimate

Vindicated,Ferreirabecamethe

mostsuccessfulEuropeancoachin

thehistoryoftheCopaLibertadores,

movingaheadofJorge Jesusand

Mirko Jozic, theCroatianwhoguided

Colo-Colotothetitlein 1991. Two

daysafter thefinal,RenatoGaucho

andFlamengopartedways.

Significantly, thiswas a third

consecutiveBrazilianwinin the

continent’s premierclubcompetition,

highlightingthecountry’srecent

dominanceof theCopaLibertadores.

Evenin 2018 , whenRiverPlateprevailed

in“thefinalto endallfinals”against

arch-rivalsBocaJuniors,Brazilian

clubshadbeenfavouredtowinthe

tournament,but were undonebytheir

defensive attitudes.Until 19 91,Brazilian

clubshadwonfiveof 32 titlesonoffer

sincethe competition’s maidenedition

in 19 60,butgraduallytheyprevailed,

winning 13 of 27 editionsbefore 2018.

Thetimes,then,are changing.

personificationofhis team:divisive,

onandoffthefield,butunwavering.

Thatgrit,ina triumphforthe collective

overtheindividual,crownedPalmeiras

forthesecondconsecutivetimeand

thethirdtimeintheclub’s history

CopaLibertadoreschampions.

WRLDSCCER 25

Champions...Palmeiras

midfielderFelipeMelo

liftstheiconictrophy

Exit...RenatoGaucho

leftFlamengoshortly

aftertheirfinaldefeat