Léo Ortiz explains his tears after Flamengo v Racing in the Libertadores | OneFootball

Léo Ortiz Undertakes 'Task Force' to Face Racing (ARG)

As soon as the Chilean referee Piero Maza blew the final whistle, Léo Ortiz began to look aimlessly, then placed his hands on his knees and fell into tears. With Flamengo's qualification for the final of the Libertadores on Racing's (ARG) field, the defender was emotional.

This is because Léo Ortiz sacrificed himself to be on the field at the Cilindro de Avellaneda. The defender suffered a sprain in his right ankle on the eve of the clash with Racing at Maracanã, missed the first leg, and didn't want to miss a chance that could be unique.

WHAT DID LÉO ORTIZ SAY?

— I hope I can return to this place many times, but I don't know when I would have another chance, so I value this moment a lot… Even if things hadn't happened, I think it would have been worth it because I would have done what my head and heart told me, which is to be competing in this semifinal for Flamengo. Even happier to have achieved the qualification and for all this to have been worth it —, said Léo Ortiz after the game.

— As soon as I did the X-ray, after the game with Palmeiras, and saw that there was no fracture, I said: I need to play one of these semifinal games. I had already told my family: I don't know what I'm going to do, I don't know what I'm going to take, what I'm going to treat in these days, but I have to be there. I made a great effort to be in the first game, even if it was on the bench to be participating, living this moment. Even far from my normal conditions, and today I also said that there was no way I would be out. Filipe (Luís) also told me: “there's no chance you're out of this game, you will find a way”. Very happy for all this to have been worth it —, recounted the defender.

HOW DID LÉO ORTIZ PERFORM AGAINST RACING?

Right at the start of the game on Wednesday (29), Léo Ortiz gave a scare. After all, the defender began to feel pain in his ankle, and Filipe Luís sent Danilo to warm up. However, the number 3 managed to recover and, with determination, stayed on the field for the full 90 minutes.

Léo Ortiz was immense, winning practically all the aerial balls. Racing used and abused crosses, with 38, and the red-black defense shone. Besides the number 3, Léo Pereira and Danilo, who came on after the expulsion of Gonzalo Plata, played a decisive role in the red-black's qualification.

WILL HE PLAY AGAINST SPORT?

After the sacrifice against Racing, Filipe Luís will have another day to decide whether to field Léo Ortiz this Saturday (01). Flamengo faces Sport at 9 PM (Brasília time) at Maracanã, for the 31st round. Coluna do Fla will cover everything, directly from Maracanã.

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