Duda celebrates his return to the courts earlier than expected
Point guard was at risk of being left out of the hexagonal due to an ankle injury
By From the official website team - in
"Olê, olê, olê, olá, Duda, Duda." The chant from the stands was a mix of celebration and gratitude. On the bench, with a red towel around his shoulders and the number 10 on his back, the emotional point guard waved back. One of the hallmarks of Flamengo's victory in the South American League this Friday (November 26.11) at the HSBC Arena was Duda's return to the Gávea team. A return that, while unexpected, was also successful.
A sprained right ankle in the first qualifying match of the competition, against Malvin (URU) in Argentina, nearly ruled the red-and-black warrior out of the final hexagonal, played in Rio de Janeiro this weekend. But Duda, as always, was brave. He faced the injury, gave it his all, and recovered in time for the match, when he was initially expected to return to play for two weeks.
"It was difficult, it's a serious injury and the initial diagnosis was that I wouldn't be able to play. But it was worth the effort, the great work done by everyone at the club and I'm very happy to be back, to wear this red and black shirt once again and be able to help the team. Of course, I felt a bit of a lack of rhythm, I still have to improve, but I believe I'm on the right track," he said.
In the first quarter of the match against Franca, Paulo Chupeta replaced Guto with the number 10, and he didn't disappoint: he played nearly 19 minutes on the court, scored seven points, provided two impressive assists, got a steal, drew four fouls, and grabbed two rebounds. These are impressive numbers for someone returning from injury. Now, he aims to keep up his work and continue his progress in the competition.
"We had four finals to play. We've already played two. We managed to get through this first stage of the hexagonal. It was the first step and now we have to stay strong, with the same drive, to go after this title and I can crown this return with the victory, which would be so important," he concluded.
Brother's Pride - Duda's teammate and older brother, Marcelinho Machado, celebrated the player's return to the court. According to him, the number 10's performance was surprising, considering he's returning after a period of injury.
"It's tough to play like this coming back from an injury, right? Your leg gets a bit stiff, you're a little apprehensive... But Duda did well, he helped the team, and I'm sure he'll continue to be very useful to the team. I'm very happy for him, both technically and tactically, for the good of the team, and, of course, for the family's sake too," he concluded.
With the talent of the Machado brothers, Flamengo faces Quimsa-ARG this Saturday (November 27.11th) at 21 p.m. at the HSBC Arena. The match is decisive: a victory will put Flamengo in another South American League final. The other finalist will be decided earlier, in the 18:30 p.m. match between Boca Juniors-ARG and Brasília.
A sprained right ankle in the first qualifying match of the competition, against Malvin (URU) in Argentina, nearly ruled the red-and-black warrior out of the final hexagonal, played in Rio de Janeiro this weekend. But Duda, as always, was brave. He faced the injury, gave it his all, and recovered in time for the match, when he was initially expected to return to play for two weeks.
"It was difficult, it's a serious injury and the initial diagnosis was that I wouldn't be able to play. But it was worth the effort, the great work done by everyone at the club and I'm very happy to be back, to wear this red and black shirt once again and be able to help the team. Of course, I felt a bit of a lack of rhythm, I still have to improve, but I believe I'm on the right track," he said.
In the first quarter of the match against Franca, Paulo Chupeta replaced Guto with the number 10, and he didn't disappoint: he played nearly 19 minutes on the court, scored seven points, provided two impressive assists, got a steal, drew four fouls, and grabbed two rebounds. These are impressive numbers for someone returning from injury. Now, he aims to keep up his work and continue his progress in the competition.
"We had four finals to play. We've already played two. We managed to get through this first stage of the hexagonal. It was the first step and now we have to stay strong, with the same drive, to go after this title and I can crown this return with the victory, which would be so important," he concluded.
Brother's Pride - Duda's teammate and older brother, Marcelinho Machado, celebrated the player's return to the court. According to him, the number 10's performance was surprising, considering he's returning after a period of injury.
"It's tough to play like this coming back from an injury, right? Your leg gets a bit stiff, you're a little apprehensive... But Duda did well, he helped the team, and I'm sure he'll continue to be very useful to the team. I'm very happy for him, both technically and tactically, for the good of the team, and, of course, for the family's sake too," he concluded.
With the talent of the Machado brothers, Flamengo faces Quimsa-ARG this Saturday (November 27.11th) at 21 p.m. at the HSBC Arena. The match is decisive: a victory will put Flamengo in another South American League final. The other finalist will be decided earlier, in the 18:30 p.m. match between Boca Juniors-ARG and Brasília.