Post by Golden_Boy™ on Apr 27, 2010 14:51:26 GMT -1
Copa Libertadores 2010: Round of 16 Preview: Flamengo v Corinthians
In what is undoubtedly the tie of the round, Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro and Corinthians of São Paulo, Brazil's two biggest football clubs, clash in the first leg tomorrow night at the Maracana, with the return leg a week later.
One of the biggest names, and probably the biggest frame in Brazil, Ronaldo, is expected to feature.
He can expect an icy reception from the Fla fans. A Rio lad and a self confessed Flamengo fan, Ronaldo trained with the club for a period of four months towards the back end of 2008 on his journey to find fitness after another knee injury. He spoke at the time of his ambitions to play for them; however, the club weren't willing to give him a contract until they were certain he would recover. In came Corinthians with an offer, and off he went.
Fans of Flamengo weren't best pleased. They took to burning pictures of him in the street, and those who had gone to the extent of getting club shirts bearing his name upon the back, well… they were burnt in the street too. Brazilian Sports daily ‘Lance!’ carried a front page headline that read “Phenomenal Traitor”, such was the hostile feeling amongst football followers.
Since his arrival back in his homeland, his form and fitness have been erratic to say the least. Nevertheless, he is still capable of doing what he has always done best, the principal job of a striker – score goals.
Last year, his goals helped push Corinthians to victory in the Brazilian cup, which led to the club’s qualification for this year’s Copa Libertadores. He relished silencing those who had questioned whether he still had “It”, and the purists who follow him undoubtedly did too. After that came more injuries, and it was obvious the leading World Cup scorer of all time was lacking in motivation. In the current campaign, he has been teetering on the edge of playing and spectating, and as I have mentioned in my previous reports on Corinthians in this Copa, one could be forgiven for not noticing him playing sometimes, such was his lack of effort. He has two goals to his name so far, both vital and each instinctive. In most of Corinthians games he has featured in, he has done very little for the most part, but a rare player such as this guy only needs one chance.
See his two goals, here, and here.
Ronaldo. Can he emerge from the shadows into greatness once more?
Of course, the big question for Ronaldo is whether he can do what he has done so many times throughout his career, and prove the doubters wrong. In the face of expected provocation from Flamengo fans, can he wake up and shine again? Roberto Carlos is inclined to believe so. Speaking to journalists on Monday, his team-mate said: “This time Ronaldo has been training more than everyone else. He is the very best in the world. I'm watching Ronaldo quite concentrated and connected to the match. I hope he makes decisive goals and to improve efficiency, because the collection is great.” Can he lead Corinthians to their first ever Libertadores crown? First, Flamengo is waiting for him.
Flamengo themselves are in a bit of trouble at the moment. After winning their first championship for over 15 years last season, they only just scraped through the Libertadores group stage. Patrícia Amorim (club president, former olympic swimmer and yes, that is a woman's name), along with the co-operation of others, decided it was time to sack title-winning coach Andrade, the first black coach to win the Brazilian championship.
"Some things in the football department remained unsubstantial. I wasn't comfortable with the way the football was being run and I want to feel joy and pleasure at being here," "I waited for us to pass to the next phase of the Libertadores, since those people deserve to leave by the club's front door. After all, they gave the club a national title after 17 years," - Amorim.
So Fla go into this game in a spot of turmoil. Corinthians coach Mano Menezes, though, is clear about his sides objectives, commenting after his sides game with Botafogo on Sunday: “We have the illusion of a Flamengo face more fragile. I'll work the head of our players for the strength of Flamengo and its fans. We will have to work harder to reach the quarterfinals.”
What is not an illusion is the fact that this is a clash between the two most heavily supported sides in Brazil, with the winner going through to the quarterfinals of the most prestigious cup in South America. Let's hope it lives up to its billing, eh?
In what is undoubtedly the tie of the round, Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro and Corinthians of São Paulo, Brazil's two biggest football clubs, clash in the first leg tomorrow night at the Maracana, with the return leg a week later.
One of the biggest names, and probably the biggest frame in Brazil, Ronaldo, is expected to feature.
He can expect an icy reception from the Fla fans. A Rio lad and a self confessed Flamengo fan, Ronaldo trained with the club for a period of four months towards the back end of 2008 on his journey to find fitness after another knee injury. He spoke at the time of his ambitions to play for them; however, the club weren't willing to give him a contract until they were certain he would recover. In came Corinthians with an offer, and off he went.
Fans of Flamengo weren't best pleased. They took to burning pictures of him in the street, and those who had gone to the extent of getting club shirts bearing his name upon the back, well… they were burnt in the street too. Brazilian Sports daily ‘Lance!’ carried a front page headline that read “Phenomenal Traitor”, such was the hostile feeling amongst football followers.
Since his arrival back in his homeland, his form and fitness have been erratic to say the least. Nevertheless, he is still capable of doing what he has always done best, the principal job of a striker – score goals.
Last year, his goals helped push Corinthians to victory in the Brazilian cup, which led to the club’s qualification for this year’s Copa Libertadores. He relished silencing those who had questioned whether he still had “It”, and the purists who follow him undoubtedly did too. After that came more injuries, and it was obvious the leading World Cup scorer of all time was lacking in motivation. In the current campaign, he has been teetering on the edge of playing and spectating, and as I have mentioned in my previous reports on Corinthians in this Copa, one could be forgiven for not noticing him playing sometimes, such was his lack of effort. He has two goals to his name so far, both vital and each instinctive. In most of Corinthians games he has featured in, he has done very little for the most part, but a rare player such as this guy only needs one chance.
See his two goals, here, and here.
Ronaldo. Can he emerge from the shadows into greatness once more?
Of course, the big question for Ronaldo is whether he can do what he has done so many times throughout his career, and prove the doubters wrong. In the face of expected provocation from Flamengo fans, can he wake up and shine again? Roberto Carlos is inclined to believe so. Speaking to journalists on Monday, his team-mate said: “This time Ronaldo has been training more than everyone else. He is the very best in the world. I'm watching Ronaldo quite concentrated and connected to the match. I hope he makes decisive goals and to improve efficiency, because the collection is great.” Can he lead Corinthians to their first ever Libertadores crown? First, Flamengo is waiting for him.
Flamengo themselves are in a bit of trouble at the moment. After winning their first championship for over 15 years last season, they only just scraped through the Libertadores group stage. Patrícia Amorim (club president, former olympic swimmer and yes, that is a woman's name), along with the co-operation of others, decided it was time to sack title-winning coach Andrade, the first black coach to win the Brazilian championship.
"Some things in the football department remained unsubstantial. I wasn't comfortable with the way the football was being run and I want to feel joy and pleasure at being here," "I waited for us to pass to the next phase of the Libertadores, since those people deserve to leave by the club's front door. After all, they gave the club a national title after 17 years," - Amorim.
So Fla go into this game in a spot of turmoil. Corinthians coach Mano Menezes, though, is clear about his sides objectives, commenting after his sides game with Botafogo on Sunday: “We have the illusion of a Flamengo face more fragile. I'll work the head of our players for the strength of Flamengo and its fans. We will have to work harder to reach the quarterfinals.”
What is not an illusion is the fact that this is a clash between the two most heavily supported sides in Brazil, with the winner going through to the quarterfinals of the most prestigious cup in South America. Let's hope it lives up to its billing, eh?
www.southamericanfootball.co.uk/files/articles.php?article_id=772