Coach of the 81 World Cup-winning team says he's an admirer of the club
Carpegiani still supports Mengão a lot (Credit: Julio César Guimarães)
Fred Gomes - Lance\ RIO DE JANEIRO\
Having been away from Flamengo for seven years, Paulo Cesar Carpegiani, who played for the club from 1977 to 1981 and also coached it twice—between 1981 and 1983, and in 2000—doesn't hide his enormous affection for the Rubro-Negro, classifying himself as a die-hard fan hoping the team will make it to the next Libertadores, and fondly remembering the generation of Zico and company. Carpegiani was Flamengo's manager in 1982, when the club achieved its last five-game winning streak in the Brasileirão.
"I think Flamengo is recovering very well, aiming for what it always wanted: to compete in the Libertadores and win it again, which is the dream of every Flamengo fan. And this possibility is very real, as Flamengo is in a moment of self-affirmation. Joel is doing a great job, once again," he lavishes praise on.
The 3-2 victory over São Paulo, on January 20, 1982, seen by many as a symbol of winning the second Brazilian championship and which started the streak of five victories, is seen differently by Carpa, even though he remembers the match with great affection.
"It was our first game as world champions, Libertadores and State champions. In short, champions of everything. And there was still the debate about which team was the best. What a fuss about this whole best team thing? Well, we were world champions and ended up winning the '82 Brazilian Championship. In the first half, we were losing 2-0, and the team wasn't doing well. In the second half, I took off Chiquinho and brought on Vítor. We turned the game around to 3-2, and in the rematch, we won 4-3 after trailing 3-1. The 3-2 victory over São Paulo was normal, a victory for a very good team that marked an era in world football," he concludes.
The fact that Flamengo could equal the 1982 team's record is seen positively by Carpegiani, who points to the fans as a fundamental factor in achieving this feat.
"I think Flamengo can not only equal our record, but also break our record. I'll be very pleased if that happens, because the fans deserve it so much. Everywhere Flamengo plays, they break records, the stadium is packed. Flamengo is going through a great moment, they're motivated, and this fan base, one of the biggest in the world, deserves it," he enthuses.
It is worth noting that Fla's record in the Brasileirão is six consecutive victories in the 82 edition, as Fla also beat Ferroviário (CE), after establishing a record that can be broken this Wednesday.
Regarding the fans, Carpa highlighted that Flamengo's fans are unique and any comparison with Corinthians, the club he coached this year and which has the second largest fan base in the country, is unfair.
"The Corinthians fans are incredibly supportive and very involved in São Paulo. Flamengo's fans, however, are the largest in Brazil and are powerful throughout the country and the world. I can't hide my affection for the Red-Blacks, because I won every possible title there. I'm a big fan of Flamengo and want to see them always winning," he concluded.