Phelipe Leal calls for attention to detail to beat Villarreal (ESP)

U-17s face Spanish team in Evergrande Cup U-17 final

By Nathan Mello - in 27/08/2018 às 14:12

Attention to detail to make the best decisions in the game. This is how coach Phelipe Leal wants his team to approach the match against Villarreal (ESP) in the grand final of the Evergrande Cup U17 International Championship, this Tuesday (28), at 8:30 am Brasília time. Until the semifinal, the teams played at the Evergrande Football School, the largest training center in the world with more than 50 soccer fields and extensive facilities. For the grand final, the Brazilians and Spanish will face off at Yuexiushan Stadium, a stadium belonging to the Guangzhou R&F with capacity for 18 thousand fans.

By winning the international title of the Adidas Generation Cup in Dallas this year, undefeated, theThe Ninho Boys, from the under-17 category, have written an important chapter in their brief history with the Sacred Mantle. This Tuesday, they will have the opportunity to add another important achievement to their careers. "We are prepared for the final. We had a difficult and very competitive path to the final, and I believe this is a positive factor for us," declared the coach.

To reach the final undefeated, the under-17 team drew 1-1 in their debut against Villarreal. Two days later, they faced Peñarol (URU) and drew again, this time 0-0. In the game that decided the place for the semifinal, they beat Hubei (CHN) 7-1. In the semifinal against Palmeiras, they came from behind to win 4-2 and secured the final.

"We knew that facing Palmeiras in the semifinals would be a huge challenge, as they are a highly qualified and competitive team. However, our advantage was our individual knowledge of the opposing players, which helped us fine-tune the details."

Phelipe Leal arrived at Flamengo this year, and in his first challenge for Rubro-Negro, he led the team to victory in the Adidas Generation Cup, in Dallas.

For the coach, having a mentally strong group with high concentration was one of the determining characteristics in achieving victory against the São Paulo team, as the team conceded a goal before the first minute of the match and despite the blow turned the game around, obtaining an impressive score.

"The team has demonstrated a high level of concentration, and this has fostered the concept of mental strength, which has been well-established daily with the psychology department. This explains the team's emotional balance throughout the competition."

Just as he has been doing so far, Leal asks his team to focus on the smallest details in the match against Villarreal so that together they can return to Rio de Janeiro with another international title for the Rubro-Negra youth team.

"It will be another great game against a team with its strengths. I believe we must maintain our performance in the tournament and continue to capitalize on our scoring chances, as we have in recent matches. Attention to detail will be essential for us to make the best decisions in the game, seeking to neutralize their main strengths and capitalize on the chances they create."