Abel Ferreira after Palmeiras win: in five years, two Libertadores | OneFootball

In the final matchday of the Libertadores group stage, the team of Abel Ferreira, the Portuguese coach of Palmeiras, thrashed Junior Barranquilla 4-1. With this result, the Brazilian side secured qualification for the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. Speaking afterwards, Abel Ferreira commented on the match and more.

Having secured second place in Group F, the coach addressed the next stage of the competition: “It depends on where you want to look. I’m absolutely sure it will be as much of a concern for us as for the teams that play against Palmeiras, because they know Palmeiras are extremely strong away from home. Whoever the opponent is, it won’t change our way of thinking or acting. We’ve already been eliminated with the first game away and the second at home, just as we’ve also been eliminated the other way around, and we’ve also gone through. Since I’ve been here, in five years, two Libertadores titles, one Libertadores final, two semi-finals. That’s what our work says. Our objectives do not change because of this, we always want to win, but unfortunately football is like that. With us, Palmeiras have always been in the finals or the semi-finals, competing for titles. It will certainly be a very difficult tie for Palmeiras, and I’m absolutely sure no one will want to draw Palmeiras as their ‘little ball’ (in the draw) either".

“We had become spoiled by having the best campaign (laughs). That was our goal, but this time we didn’t manage it. Because of what happened against Cerro (Porteño, with a home defeat), we couldn’t do it. We will always fight to win. Sometimes we have to keep moving forward even when our first objectives are not achieved. We are alive in all competitions,” he explained about the team’s current moment.

“There were seven or eight call-ups. That is my role; sometimes when people ask why the Palmeiras coach is being targeted by so many clubs... that’s why. When Palmeiras wanted me, in one of the meetings I spoke about my philosophy. If you pay attention, my clubs have always sold many players. Palmeiras have to win titles; it is very difficult to develop players and win at the same time. You don’t see that at Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, or Botafogo, but you do see it at Palmeiras. It takes patience to keep insisting. I can talk about Flaco (López), but I could mention others. My role is to enhance Palmeiras’ assets, how much they were worth when they were bought and how much they are worth today. Another role is to add value to Brazilian football through processes and continuity. When we don’t win, it seems like everything is wrong. Fortunately, Palmeiras’ coach is project-driven, the club thinks the same way, and that makes it much easier not only to win titles but also to increase players’ value. The person most responsible for Flaco is Flaco himself. I’m not the one who runs for him, scores for him, or misses for him. The only responsibility I have is when I lose; when things go well, the protagonists are others", he said regarding the players called up for the World Cup.

Abel also commented on a possible departure of Flaco López: “You know it is very difficult to develop this type of player. Like others, it isn’t easy; all of them can be called up. You saw in the tribute to Gustavo Gómez what he said about the World Cup. Imagine the expectations of a player like him, so experienced, and of Flaco. He is the result of work. We were heavily criticised for bringing him in, I was heavily criticised, and when that happens we have to switch on resilience mode. Football is like life: there are moments when everything seems to flow, and others when things don’t go so well, things don’t happen, we get sacked. The difference lies in attitude, not in whether we win or lose. It’s attitude".

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