Val Baiano ready to end his goal drought
Striker hopes to find the net against Cruzeiro and score for the first time for Flamengo
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
In seven games for Flamengo, striker Val Baiano has yet to score a goal. But the numbers don't faze the Rubro-Negro's number 9. Despite the intense pressure from the fans, the center forward remains calm and says he's ready to end his drought this Wednesday (September 01.09st) against Cruzeiro in Uberlândia. The striker knows that, while the pressure is high, the recognition can also come after the ball starts going in.
"When you're looking for the first goal, there's always that anxiety. When you get out, you gain more confidence. There are balls you could control, and you try to finish anyway. You need to be calm. The pressure here is great. At Flamengo, one goal is worth two, it's different from other teams. It's difficult to score, but when you do, the value is also greater," he said.
Confident, the player refutes criticism about his physique and explains that he's not overweight. Now that he's back in form, he believes he'll only improve and says he'll dedicate himself to scoring goals again, as he did in the 2009 Brasileirão, when he finished second in the top scorer rankings with 18.
"I'm 100%, my physical condition has always been like this, anyone who knows me knows. \ Before, I needed rhythm, but I've been playing for six or seven \ games. I need to concentrate a lot to get back to scoring goals," said the striker, who believes that God has good things in store for him at the club.
"Just now I met a taxi driver who was passing by and he said: you play well, the goal will come, don't worry. If I'm here, it's because God brought me. He's preparing good things for me at Flamengo. This has made me calmer, with the strength to work. I know that to get here you need to have some quality," he concluded.
Val traveled with the red-black group to Uberlândia on Tuesday morning (31.08), and in the afternoon he will train with his teammates at Parque do Sabiá, in Uberlândia. With Diogo out due to injury, the tendency is that the number 9 will continue as the red-black team's starter.
"When you're looking for the first goal, there's always that anxiety. When you get out, you gain more confidence. There are balls you could control, and you try to finish anyway. You need to be calm. The pressure here is great. At Flamengo, one goal is worth two, it's different from other teams. It's difficult to score, but when you do, the value is also greater," he said.
Confident, the player refutes criticism about his physique and explains that he's not overweight. Now that he's back in form, he believes he'll only improve and says he'll dedicate himself to scoring goals again, as he did in the 2009 Brasileirão, when he finished second in the top scorer rankings with 18.
"I'm 100%, my physical condition has always been like this, anyone who knows me knows. \ Before, I needed rhythm, but I've been playing for six or seven \ games. I need to concentrate a lot to get back to scoring goals," said the striker, who believes that God has good things in store for him at the club.
"Just now I met a taxi driver who was passing by and he said: you play well, the goal will come, don't worry. If I'm here, it's because God brought me. He's preparing good things for me at Flamengo. This has made me calmer, with the strength to work. I know that to get here you need to have some quality," he concluded.
Val traveled with the red-black group to Uberlândia on Tuesday morning (31.08), and in the afternoon he will train with his teammates at Parque do Sabiá, in Uberlândia. With Diogo out due to injury, the tendency is that the number 9 will continue as the red-black team's starter.
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