São Paulo (AP) — Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo are turning to their European coaches to ship European experience to the Membership World Cup.
The Brazilian membership has employed Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira to steer the crew in a match in Morocco as Flamengo search to complete an 11-year title streak for the South American crew.
Pereira is a former coach of Porto and Fenerbahçe, who arrived at Flamengo after sparking controversy in Brazil. He was on account of go away the South American nation in December after an excellent season at Corinthians.
Nevertheless surprisingly, the 54-year-old Pereira signed a one-year contract with Flamengo merely days later.
“My family understands that we’re capable of cope with the properly being scenario and the expert drawback will doubtless be important for my career,” Pereira knowledgeable the membership’s social media channels. I wanted to resolve.”
The Membership World Cup usually ends with the South American and European finals. If the equivalent issue happens this yr, Flamengo will face Precise Madrid on his February eleventh.
The ultimate time a South American crew gained the rivals was in 2012 when Corinthians defeated Chelsea 1-0 in Japan.
Pereira’s predecessor at Flamengo, Dorival Jr., took the place when the crew struggled closing yr and helped the realm’s costliest crew win the Brazilian Cup title, with Pereira taking over as coach. He gained his second trophy throughout the Copa Libertadores 4 cases by defeating Corinthians on penalties. Yr.
Many followers wanted Dorival Jr. to stay, so he and Flamengo talked about a contract extension in November. After the last word spherical of the Brazilian championship on December 13, the coach launched a video saying he was leaving as a result of the membership had already chosen a successor.
Its successor was Pereira, who was nonetheless beneath contract at Corinthians and vacationing alongside along with his family.
The selection upset Corinthians followers who believed Pereira could not preserve for family causes. Moreover apprehensive have been Flamengo supporters who observed Dorival Jr. improve their crew after discovering room for prolific strikers Gabriel Barbosa and Pedro throughout the starting line-up.
Flamengo administration acknowledged they chose Pereira because of they believed his European style would improve the crew’s possibilities of worthwhile a second world title. In 1981, a crew led by Brazilian good Zico defeated Liverpool 3-0 throughout the Intercontinental Cup remaining held in Japan.
Beneath one different Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, in 2019, Flamengo gave then-European champions Liverpool a difficult drawback throughout the Membership World Cup remaining, nonetheless Roberto Firmino’s extra-time goal gave the English side the lead. gave the title.
Flamengo’s first few matches beneath Pereira have given little hint of the side’s potential modifications throughout the run-up to the Membership World Cup. , French crew, returned from Marseille. He is liable to substitute key defensive participant Joao Gomes, who’s shifting to English membership Wolverhampton.
Pereira has not revealed whether or not or not veteran defenders David Luiz and Filipe Luis, along with midfielder Arturo Vidal, will doubtless be in Flamengo’s starting line-up in the midst of the match.
Flamengo will first face each African champions Widad Casablanca or 2021 Asian champions Al Hilal throughout the semi-finals. Ultimate yr’s Asian champion is just not going to be decided until Might.
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