Tolói set for Copa do Brasil return vs Botafogo after 10 years | OneFootball

Defender was officially presented by Tricolor (Rubens Chiri/SPFC)

RAFAEL EMILIANO@rafaelemilianoo

A long time after being announced as São Paulo’s new signing, defender Rafael Tolói was finally officially presented by the Morumbi club on the afternoon of this Tuesday (9), at the Barra Funda training center.

And, as expected given the time since his return was announced, which happened back in the middle of last month, the main question surrounding the number 2 is just one: when will he actually be able to at least be included in the squad for Tricolor?

Well, given the extensive time for adaptation and physical preparation, the expectation is that his re-debut (at least as an option on the bench) will happen this Sunday (14), in the match against Botafogo at Morumbi, for the Brazilian Championship. At least, that’s what the experienced 34-year-old defender is hoping for.

"I arrive at an important moment in the season, we have two important competitions. I had three weeks to get in better shape and I can contribute with experience, with what I lived in Italy. Here we play with three defenders and I feel very comfortable, I felt good in Saturday’s training match (against the U-20s), I’m happy and I’m here to help," he said.

"The weeks of training were important, with the technology we have today I was able to monitor my performance compared to the squad. In the period before signing with São Paulo I was training, kept up my aerobic fitness, I feel good and available for the weekend," he added.

About choosing São Paulo, Tolói is categorical: matters of the heart. Revealed by Goiás, he arrived at the club in 2012 and, in his first spell, played 133 matches, scored six goals, and was part of the squad that won the Copa Sudamericana that year. In 2014, he was loaned to Roma and, in mid-2015, transferred to Atalanta.

Now, ten years later, immortalized in the history of the small Italian club (which even led him to the national team of the European country), Tolói felt it was time to choose where he kept good memories.

"I spent ten years at Atalanta and they were incredible years, but I felt it was time for a change. I had talks with some clubs abroad and also in Brazil. Not conversations, there was interest, they approached me. But I didn’t actually open talks with anyone, I waited for the right moment. And from the moment São Paulo approached me, there was a huge motivation on my part for it to work out. I came back here because I had good moments here and I intend to live those moments again," he said.

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