Léo Pereira hits out at Conmebol after Flamengo v Ind. del Valle | OneFootball

Léo Pereira gave an interview after the win over Del Valle (ECU)

Flamengo beat Independiente del Valle (ECU) 2-0 and took the lead in the race for a spot in the Libertadores semifinals. However, the Rubro-Negro left Estádio Olímpico Atahualpa upset because of the difficulties caused by the altitude of 2,850 meters above sea level in Quito. Irritated, center back Léo Pereira took a swipe at Conmebol for allowing matches under those conditions.

— We played a very solid match. We knew we were going to suffer, like we did for almost the entire first half. I believe they had to make the altitude count somehow. For us, it’s terrible to play here, but these are the conditions Conmebol allows players to face. I want to thank all my teammates, because it’s really very difficult to play here — said Léo Pereira.

— Today, we once again showed that this is a team of men that has been taking shape, with the ambition we’ve had all year. I think this is the way forward. Nothing is settled yet, there’s still the second leg. I’m happy about the goal; it’s hard to score, but when the opportunity comes, I’m always there to try something. I also want to congratulate the fans who supported us — added the defender, still in Quito.

ALTITUDE EFFECT

Flamengo felt the thin air and could not play well in the first half. Leonardo Jardim’s team finished the opening 45 minutes without a single shot, and Del Valle had nearly 70% possession. However, the Rubro-Negro woke up in the second half and managed to score through Bruno Henrique and Léo Pereira.

Now, Mais Querido will try to seal qualification at sea level, at the Maracanã, next Thursday (17). Able to lose by as much as one goal, Flamengo host Independiente del Valle at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) in the second leg of the quarterfinals.

IS LÉO PEREIRA A CONCERN?

After the match, Léo Pereira admitted he finished the game with muscle pain and is a concern for Flamengo ahead of this Sunday’s match (13) against Corinthians at the Maracanã in the Brasileirão. The clash is worth keeping the Rubro-Negro at the top of the table. So, the ball starts rolling at 5:30 p.m. (Brasília time).

AUTHOR’S OPINION

— The issue of matches at altitude is a controversial one. It’s Del Valle’s home, so it wouldn’t be fair for them to play away from their own ground. However, it’s also not fair for a team to have such a major advantage from effects as serious as altitude, which even affects the players’ breathing. But this is an issue Conmebol is no longer going to try to change — opined Pedro Paulo Catonho, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

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