🧔 Eduardo Domínguez tackles Galo fatigue and void without Hulk | OneFootball

After the departure of idol Hulk, who was unveiled by Fluminense this Monday (11), Atlético must move on.

And coach Eduardo Domínguez has a first decision to make: who will be the new free-kick taker?

Appearing calm, "Barba" used the 1-1 draw against Botafogo to explain that Galo will naturally find the "owner" of that role.

"Whenever a great reference leaves, it creates a void. And that feeling of emptiness is normal. But Maycon took a penalty with great quality in the derby. We scored from set pieces in the previous match. Vitor Hugo got free at the far post and missed the header. He went down when he went for the ball and couldn’t finish well. Cassierra missed at the near post, before Vitor. In other words, the situation is what it is. Yes, I understand the feeling, but we will solve it as a team."

Besides that issue, Eduardo Domínguez also addressed the topic of the Minas Gerais side’s "fatigue," considering that, in their last 10 matches, they have managed only three wins, two draws, and five defeats.

"I believe everything is interconnected. It’s not just the defensive side, nor just the attacking side, it’s the whole. It’s not just the physical side, nor just the mental side, it’s everything. If one player is tired, that spreads to everyone in the daily routine. One player is tired and, when he did this, he passed the ball to another player and the game went on. I can’t say it’s just one part, because everything is interconnected. What we have to improve is everything. And it’s a little bit of each thing. Because, at the end of the day, it’s a little bit of each thing. We know what we need to improve and how we need to improve it."

Atlético return to action next Wednesday (13), when they visit Ceará at Arena Castelão for the second leg of the fifth round of the 2026 Copa do Brasil (first leg: 2-1 to Galo).

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

📸 EITAN ABRAMOVICH - AFP or licensors