Anselmi explains Botafogo squad rotation after derby defeat to Fluminense | OneFootball

Botafogo suffered its second defeat of the season by being beaten by Fluminense 1-0 last Sunday at the Nilton Santos Stadium, during the fifth round of the Campeonato Carioca. After the classic match, coach Martín Anselmi explained the plan to rotate the squad, which is short and has not yet received reinforcements due to the transfer ban.

The coach emphasized that the priority was to give minutes to players who had been playing little, despite the negative result. “I don't like losing, nobody does. I think we had a good first half, with players who hadn't played for a while, like Bastos. In the second half, we tried to make some changes. It's a short squad and we need many players to start getting minutes because we will need them. This is the best time to give those minutes, but I wanted to win,” stated the Argentine.

Anselmi also explained the need to manage the team's physical wear, already qualified for the next phase of the state competition. “Our plan was to give these minutes to the players because we are already qualified. In 48 hours we play again and we need to prepare for the next game. If everyone plays, everyone needs to recover, and we don't have time to train. I don't want the team to hit a ceiling. We have a lot to improve and, to train, we need to rotate the squad,” he added.

Positive Points

Even with the defeat, the alvinegro commander highlighted positive points of the performance. “There are also positive things, like the return of Bastos, Kadu, and Kadir, who is a young boy. The team fought until the end and I am very proud of that. We know we will never be a perfect team, but we need to be a team that fights. With mistakes and successes, the commitment, the fight, and the intensity are positive for me,” commented Anselmi.

Return of Bastos

Defender Bastos returned to play after about a year away from the field due to a severe left knee injury that required surgery. Anselmi praised the player's return and the minutes received in the classic. “No one doubts Bastos' abilities. I know what he represents for Botafogo, but it's normal that, in the first game after so long, he will be regaining rhythm and competitiveness, something that can only be achieved by playing. I'm happy he played the full 90 minutes. We weren't sure he could stay on the field the whole time, but I chose to keep him until the end,” concluded the coach.

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