90 thousand fans showed up and celebrated. Coach Renato Gaúcho was celebrating since last week. And the Flu drowned in its own self-confidence. After eliminating São Paulo and Boca, Flu started the match very relaxed, as if it could win at any time. But the ball punishes. Bollanos scored for LDU with just 6 minutes into the match.

That’s when the home team realized what was happening. Thiago Neves (whom you heard first here on this blog) started to play. The Flu suffocated LDU on its own field, leaving just a few spaces for the visitors. With 10 minutes, Neves dribbled and shot from far. The keeper did not reach the ball and the Maracanã exploded in one big sound. The early made the title a little more real. Too bad Washington and Conca, two of the club’s stars, were just in the beginning of terrible night. Otherwise the Flu could’ve comeback. The only guy awake was Thiago Neves. Junior César crossed and the number 10 scored his second of the night. For LDU, defending with soul and counter-attacking if possible was all that was left. But defender Thiago Silva, one of the best in Brazil, took care of that.

The second-half started and things had changed very little. The keeper from LDU did not inspire any safety, and the goal was a matter of time. With 10 minutes, a free-kick. Like no other stadium in the world, the net from Maracanã is an invitation for goals from free-kicks. And Thiagos Neves accepted that invitation. By scoring such goal, Neves becomes the first man to score a hat-trick in the final of Libertadores, something that not even Zico or Pelé had done. The 3-1 was sending the match to the extra-time. Instead of searching the fourth, Flu stopped. The 3-1 worked against São Paulo. It worked against Boca. But it wasn’t enough against LDU. And the match went to the extra-time.

However, the word extra never felt so proper. The 30 minutes just extended the suffering and suffocated everyone in the stadium. Both teams refused to play, and the match went to the penalties.

All the ghosts from the stadium were on the pitch one more time. The 3 most important players of Flu missed their penalties. Conca, one of the best midfielders in Brazil. Washington, the Brave heart who scored breath taking goals against São Paulo and Boca. And Thiagos Neves. The number ten confirmed another tradition: great players who miss important players. Not only that, the keeper, who seemed it was going to concede a goal at any moment during the 120 minutes, denied the 3 penalties. The silence was painful. Bodies moved numb.

Like São Paulo (94), Palmeiras (00) and São Caetano (02), Fluminense lost the title at home in the penalties.

Worse than that: When Flu wake up from the dream of Copa Libertadores tomorrow, it will realize it seats in the last spot of Campeonato Brasileiro. What a curse Maracanã has.

I get the feeling that Brazil will not win the 2014 World Cup.

PS1: Thiago Neves and Thiago Silva are national team material. I hope they don’t get infected with the European vírus. But this is another story.

PS2: You will hear a lot f people saying that this was the most painful match of Fluminense’s history. But a club that visited third division simply for poor results on the pitch just about a decade ago cannot consider this loss as its worst.

Started Like This:

Ended Like This:

Cool pictures from the time here

One of the most despised characters of Brazilian football is no longer. Last night Vasco da Gama held elections for new president, and Eurico Miranda lost the elections. Roberto Dinamite, one of the biggest idols in the history of the club, will be the new president. Dinamite beat Miranda with 140 against 103 votes.

After 41 years, Eurico Miranda has been disconnected from Vasco. In those 41 years, the man collected a few title, tons polemics and a couple of investigations.

In 2001, he was one of the targets of a congressional investigation which focused on the wrongdoings of Brazilian football. As usual, nothing happened. Eurico had a few connections from the time he served as a congressman, a period he said he did not represent the people in congress, but Vasco fans.

Among other things, Eurico is known for bizarre facts which are the personification of the “professional” Brazilian politician. In early 2001, he felt persecuted by TV Globo due to the events that led to the postponement of the final match of the 2000 Campeonato Brasileiro between Vasco and São Caetano. (Just as a reminder: In that match, part of Vasco’s stadium collapsed with 5 minutes into the match. Eurico just wanted the injured removed from the pitch, and wanted the match to resume. The match was transferred to a date in January of 2001.). Knowing that Globo was going to broadcast that match, Eurico made the logo of SBT (TV Glob’s rival channel at the time) appear on Vasco’s jersey for no money in exchange.

In a match between Vasco and Flamengo, Vasco had the rights to the money of the match. Eurico took the money with him from the stadium and was mysteriously robbed in the streets of Rio.

In 2000, he invaded the pitch in the match between Vasco and Paraná and prevented from being resumed.

The election of last night was the conclusion of something that started in 2006. At the time, Eurico won the elections for president. The opposition accused Eurico of fraud and took the case to the courts of Rio. The courts cancelled the result and forced Vasco to hold new elections, which now ended in the opposition’s hands. It may be the beginning of a new era.

Hail to Vasco! Eurico, we won’t miss you.

(Eurico and Dinamite in the early 80’s)

Leaving:
Fernandão - forward (Inter-RS to Qatar)
Adriano – forward (returning from loan; São Paulo to Inter Milan)
Fábio Santos – defensive midfielder (returning from loan; São Paulo to Lyon)
Marcinho – offensive midfielder (on loan; Cruzeiro to Kasima – JP)
Henrique – defender ( $10 million Euros; Palmeiras to Barcelona)

Arriving:
Bolivar – defender (loan; Monaco to Inter-RS)
Andre Lima – forward (loan; Hertha Berlin to São Paulo)
Fabiano Eller – defender (loan; Atlético Madrid to Santos)
Michael – midfielder (Dínamo Kiev- to Santos)

More to come.

Fluminense waited 106 years to be in the final of a continental tournament. The goal by LDU’s Bieler in the first minute of the match was a signal for the Brazilian side they could’ve waited a little longer. Not even the beautiful goal from a free-kick by Argentinean Conca, one of the best midfielders in Brazilian football at the moment, made things different. LDU pounded Flu’s defense and every attack felt it was going to end in the net of Fernando Henrique. 1, 2, 3, 4. Almost every 10 minutes LDU scored a goal, and the 4-1 from the first-half did not feel as the final score of the match just because more goals from the local team were expected. A first-half to be forgotten.

The second-half started the same way. But two things were quintessential to keep Flu’s dreams alive. The header by Thiago Neves in the 6th minute which made the score to be 4-2. And the save by Fernando Henrique with 2 minutes left, which avoided the 5-2. These two moments still make the 106 years worth the wait for the fans next week. Today, Flu collapsed in the altitude of Quito and the excitement of La Liga. Besides the goal, the visitors did not do much in the second-half.

Next week Fluminense needs a two goal victory to take the final for the extra-time, or a three goal difference to win the title. After eliminating Boca Juniors and São Paulo, two favorites, will they be able to pull out some new tricks from their hats?

Fernandes was also a Police Officer. Yes, in Brazil being a referee is a not professional activity. And CBF could not care less about it. Fernandes’ last match was Saturday in the 1-0 victory of Sao Paulo over Sport.

It’s about time, Dunga. A draw against Argentina usually is not bad. A draw against Argentina playing as if Brazil was Poland is terrible. The result of leaving the brain behind was the greatest amount of creative chants asking the coach to leave. I’m not sure if I like more “Adeus, Dunga” (Goodbye Dunga) or “Ah, ta demitido!” (Oh, you’re fired).

Dunga chose physical work to beat Argentina. He put Adriano (whose return to the national squad feels a little too early) replacing Luis Fabiano and Júlio Baptista as the playmaker. Besides that, the usual: Maicon, Gilberto, Mineiro, Gilberto Silva. No flair. No creativity. A bunch of strong players without brains. Brazil did not have 1 man to take free-kicks.

Robinho was there as well despite the horrible matches he has been delivering. But Dunga loves him. Even if he keeps choking in important matches. Anderson also went to the match, just to keep the dose of arrogance high.

The real problem is that Dunga thinks this team is like the one from 1994. However, he forgets Maicon is not Jorginho (or Cafú for that matter), Gilberto is not Leonardo and Lúcio is far from being Aldair. Moreover, whoever is in the attack (either Adriano, Luis Fabiano or Robinho) is NOT Romário and Bebeto.

In the first-half, there were only two chances: Júlio Baptista missed one by shooting in the hands of the keeper. In the second one, Robinho dribbled the keeper and was touched. Robinho, the man who is proud of his street smart nature, did not dive to gain the penalty. Great, Robinho!

Anderson got injured in the first-half, and Dunga sent Diego to the match. Again, the midfielder did not produce anything. This makes me think that Diego is that type of player who is great for the club, but never does anything good with the national squad, just like Ademir da Guia used to be. And I don’t mean to compare the two players. Ademir played much more.

In the second-half, Argentina was closer to the goal than Brazil. But it seems that Los Hermanos were not that inspired today was well.

With the pale football, fans started to get furious and Dunga sent Luis Fabiano, replacing Adriano. Robinho remained untouched. Nothing happened. But before the match was over, there was time for the final joke from the bench. While fans chanted for the entry of Alexandre Pato, Dunga took Diego out and sent Daniel Alves. Let me put this clear to you: in order to get the victory, he took out an offensive midfielder and put a right-back. Brazil ended the match with 2 ½ defensive midfielders (Julio Baptista is almost one) 2 right-backs and 2 distant forwards. Miracles, like the final of last year’s Copa América, do not happen very often.

End of the match, 0-0. Another result in Dunga fashion. Hopefully, it was the last one.

I know, it was only practice. But the reserves of Brazil managed to lose for the U-20 squad of Atletico-MG 1-0. Brazil played with: Doni, Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva, Luisão e Kléber; Hernanes, Anderson, Elano e Júlio Baptista; Alexandre Pato e Adriano.

Atletico-MG seats on the 7th spot in the Brazilian league.

These are the people who will be on the pitch to save us against Argentina if the starting line-up keep their game of recent matches. It should be a shame for guys like Adriano, Anderson, Pato, Daniel Alvez and Elano to lose for a semi-pro side. But they don’t care. The selecao has become a place for fashion, faces and merchandise.

I started writing this piece even before the match was over with a big thought behind it. That’s when I heard the commentator of a Brazilian radio station translate what I was feeling:

“This squad has the face of its coach: arrogant and mediocre.”

Dunga believes he is a great coach but his squad is one of the poorest of the history of the national team. He started a match with 3 defensive midfielders, as usual. His side-backs do not attack as well. When Robinho is not inspired, as it was the case today, the team suffers. And it does because it is not organized and because it lacks in the starting line-up creativity, capacity for improvisation and inspiration. When this Brazil plays, it reminds me of squads of Eastern Europe. The keeper from Paraguay made his first save with 15 minutes. Too little for Brazil.

Paraguay scored twice, even playing the entire second-half with 10 men. The leaders of the Qualifying also hit the post, and missed other chances. It could’ve been 4-0. Cabañas, the Brazilian killer, scored again.

Why are we keeping in the starting line-up players who are reserves in Europe? Why Gilberto? Why Anderson? Why Gilberto Silva? Why Júlio Baptista? Why Dunga?

The failure against Argentina on Wednesday and in the Olympics may restore order. Until there, suffering.

Corinthians had a huge advantage and a coach who not only knows how to put a good defense together, but also in the past, divine hands gave him a little help in the same city where the second-leg of Copa do Brasil was going to be held. That match was at Naútico’s stadium, but Recife was a sacred land for Mano Menezes.

With the ball in action very few chances appeared for both sides. Good for Corinthians. Mano was doing the expected. Too bad for him that glory was reserved for another coach: Nelsinho Baptista.

Nelsinho was the man who gave the first title of Corinthians in the Campeonato Brasileiro back in 1990. Nelsinho was the man ahead of Corinthians in the club’s first relegation in Campeonato Brasileiro which happened last year. In the last match of Corinthians against a club from first division this year, destiny was ironic enough to let the history of Nelsinho Baptista with Corinthians come to a conclusion. By losing, Sport would’ve made the life of Corinthians in 08 beautiful, and the participation in second-division meaningless and not painful. After all, Corinthians’ rivals (Palmeiras, Santos and São Paulo) are not qualified to next year’s Libertadores yet. By winning, Nelsinho Baptista would’ve brought heavy sadness to Corinthians fans twice in 6 months.

Things started to become clear when Carlinhos Bala scored for the locals in the only chance they had. And two minutes later, more irony from the gods of football. Goalkeeper Felipe, the only man who managed to become an idol even during a campaign that ended in relegation, was the chosen victim. Felipe denied the penalty which put Corinthians in the final. Felipe was the man to make the biggest mistake of the match. Luciano Henrique shot from far and the ball passed under Felipe’s legs. 2-0.

Suddenly, all the tough memories from last year’s relegation were back to Corinthians fans. The players found themselves in despair. The second-half was even more difficult, but Corinthians was paralyzed by the “frevo” from Sport. The goal from Enilton last week was the goal of the title. Sport is the champion of Copa do Brasil.

The Brazilian Northeast, land of unique happiness and dense poverty, wins a national title 20 years after Bahia beat internacional to win the Campeonato Brasileiro. Sport was brilliant in defeating the two biggest favorites, Palmeiras and Inter, and killing to other very traditional clubs in the semis and finals. Nelsinho Baptista will never forget.

For Corinthians the remainder of the season has only matches in second division. For Sport, the title grants them a spot in next year’s Libertadores (let’s not forget that Fluminense, 08 Libertadores runner-up, won this same tournament last year). Play frevo. Congratulations Sport and Nelsinho.

Goals:

Some pics: