Renato’s Flu stumble in Argentina, Maraca return now tricky | OneFootball

The football night for Fluminense left a bitter taste and the certainty that the spot in the Copa Sudamericana semifinals was compromised by a strategy that bordered on cowardice and stubbornness from their coach, Renato Gaúcho. The tricolor fans go home with the clear conviction that the blame for the defeat, and a possible elimination, falls directly on the misguided choices of the technical command.

First Half: Caution and Defensive Gaps

Playing at home, Lanús started the match predictably, adopting a cautious and sometimes completely withdrawn stance. However, the home team gradually managed to take control of the match, exploiting Fluminense's weaknesses. The Tricolor showed enormous difficulty in marking from the start, especially on the right side of the defense. It was precisely there that Marcelino Moreno and Salvio found fertile ground to create the best chances, taking advantage of the excessive spaces left by Guga – a tactical flaw that the coach failed to adjust. After the period of greater Argentine pressure in the middle of the first half, Fluminense even managed to balance the actions, building good plays on the sides and creating an opportunity to open the score with Renê. However, the chance was wasted, a harbinger of what was to come.

Second Half: The Stubbornness that Buried the Chances

The second half revealed the most concerning aspect of Renato Gaúcho's strategy. Fluminense simply gave up attacking the opponent, handing over possession and initiative to Lanús. This passive stance, combined with a midfield lacking any creativity, turned the Tricolor into a team without ambition. Even with the recognized low technical quality of the Argentine players, who failed to capitalize on their dominance to create real danger chances, Fluminense suffered from the fear of taking risks. With low lines and no drive to pursue a goal, the Carioca team did not attack, did not press, and showed no winning spirit.

The changes made by Renato Gaúcho only worsened the situation. They were wrong choices that did not bring the necessary energy or offensiveness. The insistence on Soteldo, who failed to make a difference on the field, was yet another proof of the stubbornness that permeated the night. Even though the Venezuelan did not perform on the field, and with other options available, the coach insists and backs the forward's entry. And more: he makes a substitution that, in the eyes of all tricolors, seemed senseless: unless there was a request to leave or some felt problem, taking Martinelli out for Bernal is enough to test the patience of the calmest tricolor fans. At the very least, he could have put in Acosta or even Riquelme Felipe. But no: the coach chose not to change the panorama of a sterile midfield, keeping players who could not create dangerous plays, leaving the attack isolated and inoperative.

The tricolor fans, who expected a fierce and proactive team in the quest for the semifinal – especially given the low quality of the opponent – will go to sleep with the bitter and clear certainty that the defeat is a direct result of a cowardly strategy and the misguided decisions of a coach who insisted on his stubbornness and failed to read the game. Renato Gaúcho has an irrefutable share of success so far, no doubt. But today, the blame for this painful night is mainly his.

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