Abel: Palmeiras focus on Libertadores, Brasileirão out of reach | OneFootball

Palmeiras found themselves in even more trouble in the Brasileirão. The Verdão drew 0-0 with Fluminense at Allianz Parque. Abel Ferreira’s team has now gone four matches without a win in the national competition. With Flamengo’s result, the Rio club opened up a four-point lead.

After the match, Abel Ferreira spoke to the press about the result and Palmeiras’ current moment in the season, with three games left in the Brasileirão and one week to go before the big Libertadores final in Lima, Peru.

Speak, Abel!

The match

— There’s no time to breathe. You mentioned energy, that’s it. You mentioned inspiration, that’s what you notice. We’re trying, but without being creative. It’s unfair to single out one player, it’s unfair to talk about just one. It goes one by one. The FIFA break wasn’t good, the away game we played wasn’t good. Losing the engine of the midfield wasn’t good, we lost Lucas, Andreas in the last match. But that’s it: it was a game with a lot of perspiration and little inspiration.

Support from the fans

— Look, I’ve already told you: this year they’ve nailed us to the cross several times. We lost to Corinthians and they crucified us, we went to the Club World Cup and they crucified us. We came in with 15 new players. We sold Estevão, Ríos. We restructured the squad. Unfortunately, we invested in a player (Paulinho) who helped us very little. We lost Lucas to injury, who after Ríos left was the engine of the team. When we lost 3-0 to LDU, they already counted us out. We’re already in our third Libertadores final and to this day we’re fighting for the title. And I think it will be very difficult after the Libertadores… that’s what we have to say. And about my future, you’ll know at the right time.

Championship given away?

— It didn’t help having the players with their national teams. Just look at how they left and how they came back. Some played and others didn’t, but we have to deal with it. There’s no point in saying anything. We have a midweek game, we’ll prepare in the way we think is best. But I think the championship is decided and, at the right time, we’ll talk about what this Brazilian Championship was.

Attacking midfielder spot still open?

— We have Andreas, and today we didn’t have him. Of course I expected more from Emiliano and Aníbal. We’re talking about a player from the Argentina National Team. It was a match with little creativity from our whole team. One was punished for an unbelievable referee mistake.

If they finish second, is it a bad season?

— When no one believed in the magical night, I believed. At the end of the year, I will, with great pleasure, talk to the fans about everything that happened this year. I won’t let anyone say this was not a positive season. I won’t allow that.

Flaco struggling?

— Normal. That’s something I’ll discuss with him personally. One thing is what I ask for, another is what he’s doing. He forgot to do what he was doing: instead of running forward, he’s running backward. He’s a center forward, not an attacking midfielder. He could have passed the ball to Roque, but the coach prepares them and the decisions are theirs. Sometimes we’re more inspired, other times not. Today was a lot of perspiration and little inspiration.

Doubts in the squad

— Afterwards, we’ll prepare for this game with three days. We have Grêmio in the middle, and then rest for the final, which everyone had already counted us out of. And we, with all merit, are going to make the most of it and give our best to win it.

Mental strength of the squad

— I think this team has already proven itself: 72 games in the year. We went through tough times. Accept what happened, the opponent who is going to win this competition ended up being stronger in certain areas related to sporting performance. And we’ll prepare for the next game and the final.

And now?

With the defeat, Verdão is in a tough spot in the standings. Still in the Brasileirão, Palmeiras returns to the field next Tuesday (25th), against Grêmio. On Saturday (29th), they face Flamengo in the big Libertadores final.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.