Lucas Sasha: "Shame to see Fortaleza go down" after relegation | OneFootball

Right after the 4-2 defeat to Botafogo, which confirmed Fortaleza's relegation to Série B, midfielder Lucas Sasha gave an interview and did not hide the emotional impact of the moment. In a statement filled with frustration, the player highlighted his sadness over the season's outcome and lamented the fall of a club that, according to him, "is an example of management in Brazilian football."

Sasha began the interview by stating that it was difficult to find words to describe the feeling on the field at Nilton Santos. For the midfielder, what weighs most is not just the result of the last round, but the symbolism of seeing a solid project collapse after years of stability.

"Seeing a project going to the second division is very difficult, especially a project like Fortaleza. A project that until last year was seen as a model and a project of serious people, with serious people," he stated.

In the face of the defeat, Fortaleza saw the reaction of the last games turn into frustration. Stuck at 43 points, the Lion was surpassed by Internacional and Vitória in the final round and will play Série B in 2026.

The midfielder also made a point of contrasting Fortaleza's reality with that of other clubs in Brazilian football. Without naming names, Sasha criticized contexts of disorganization, salary delays, and debts that, according to him, are still common in the country, and reinforced that the Lion of Pici does not fit into this scenario.

“It’s a shame to see Fortaleza, such a serious club, fall to the second division,” he lamented.

Regarding the campaign on the field, Sasha acknowledged that the team took too long to react and ended up paying dearly for it. Even valuing the effort of the final rounds, the midfielder admitted that the late reaction was not enough.

"We fought, battled, took too long to react in the championship. Brazilian football is unforgiving. In the end, our reaction is worth nothing," he concluded.

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