Platense president on Fluminense talks, Libertadores tie: “No draw” | OneFootball

Gastón Arcieri highlights the huge budget gap between the clubs, but promises a courageous approach from the Argentine side for the first leg at the Maracanã

The first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals presents a new challenge for Fluminense. This Tuesday, at 7 p.m., the Tricolor hosts Platense at the Maracanã. Making its debut in continental tournaments, the Argentine club promises not to back down in Rio de Janeiro, guaranteeing an attacking approach even away from home.

The president of the Vicente López club, Gastón Arcieri, made a point of stressing the team’s fearless attitude for the opening clash of the tie.

— We’re not the kind of club that steps onto the field trying to draw. We always go onto the field with the mindset of winning. We’re going to play our game and try to win — the executive said in an interview with ge.

The Argentine team’s boldness has already paid off in Brazil this season. Back in the group stage, Platense pulled off a surprise by beating Corinthians 2-0 right at Neo Química Arena. The achievement becomes even more significant given the vast financial gap between the Argentine and Brazilian realities. During dinner with Fluminense’s board in Rio, Arcieri mentioned the budget discrepancy between the wage bills.

— We had dinner with the Fluminense people yesterday and talked about each team’s budget. The difference is enormous. At least 30 to 40 times bigger. But I think that if football were only a matter of money, it would be a different sport. With intelligence and creativity, we can build squads with less money. We’ve been able to put together good squads, and that helps level things out — Arcieri said.

Qualification for the Libertadores came along with a historic milestone: the Torneo Apertura trophy, the institution’s first major title in more than 120 years since its foundation.

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