Abel Braga comments on defeat to Fluminense in the Guanabara Cup
Coach spoke at a press conference at Maracanã
By Flamengo Communication - inOn Thursday night (14), Flamengo faced Fluminense in the semifinal of the Guanabara Cup and ended up losing 1-0. The match was marked by tributes to the victims of the tragedy with the Garotos do Ninho. After the match, coach Abel Braga spoke to the press at a press conference at Maracanã.
"We had very clear scoring chances. My goalkeeper made a good save. Fluminense played a possession game but couldn't create any chances. We were unlucky at the end of the game. That's football. They gave us a lot of counterattacks, and we couldn't score. They managed to score from a ball we had controlled. Of course, everyone is dejected because this trip to the final would have been important given everything that happened. The fight was relentless, and we won't stop. It's bad the way it was, but we won't give up," analyzed coach Abel Braga.
The coach continued to evaluate Fla's performance and what went wrong in the match. "If the opponent won, it's because they deserved it. We won't crucify anyone. More than ever, our biggest concern is not letting this defeat fall on De Arrascaeta's shoulders. I'll do everything I can to keep him from giving up. He's a high-caliber player; he knows how to bide his time. A single mistake won't take away his value. It happened to him, and it could have happened to anyone else. We had clear opportunities, but Fluminense rarely appeared in front. That's how we'll keep working. I don't believe in great achievements coming from easy things. Today was one of those defeats that leaves a lasting impression. Did Flamengo put in a great performance? No. Fluminense did what they usually do. We talked before the game about thinking only about the win, not the draw for the advantage. We knew how they play, we had good possessions, and we couldn't follow up on that. The opponent has virtues, we can't take that away from them. Now we have a few days until the most important moment, which is the Conmebol Libertadores debut at altitude," commented the Mais Querido manager.
The classic was marked by tributes to the ten red-and-blacks who lost their lives in the tragedy at Ninho do Urubu last Friday. "Regardless of who advances to the final or wins the championship, the Rio de Janeiro clubs showed solidarity and showed great support. Nothing can erase that solidarity. It was a very difficult week. I don't know if we were overly determined because of that; when we lose our balance, it's a complex thing. I spent time with these kids every day; I told them that on Saturday. The emotional side may have made the difference. We would have liked to have won. I know how the players feel; they would have liked to offer the boys this qualification, to be able to achieve more. But that doesn't change the pain. The defeat is bad, but the pain of loss is incomparable," said Abel.
Flamengo returns to the field on February 24th, Sunday, when they face Americano in the first round of the Taça Rio.