Fluminense boss: Zico like Arrascaeta, unique Rio vs São Paulo view | OneFootball

Luís Zubeldía, Fluminense coach, gave an interview to Diario Olé and spoke about Brazilian football

Former São Paulo coach and currently at Fluminense, Luís Zubeldía gave an interview to Argentina’s Diario Olé and analyzed Brazilian football. Asked about the differences between teams from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the coach mentioned Zico, Arrascaeta, and Flamengo to make a comparison.

– The Carioca style is more relaxed. The number 10 for Flamengo used to be Zico. Today, De Arrascaeta does what Zico used to do. At Fluminense, we have Ganso, Lucho Acosta… Apart from the derbies, it’s a more artistic football. A passing game, pleasant, beautiful to watch –, said Zubeldía, before adding:

– The Paulista style is tougher, the state championship is more complicated because there are many Série B teams that build a strong squad for three months, like Novorizontino did, who reached the final. Afterwards, they fall apart. They are more physical, more aggressive teams –, he concluded.

IS ZUBELDÍA RIGHT?

The results on the field match Zubeldía’s arguments about the quality of Carioca football. After all, the last five champions of the Copa Libertadores da América are from Rio de Janeiro: Flamengo (2022 and 2025), Fluminense (2023), and Botafogo (2024).

AND IN THE DERBIES?

In the interview with ‘Olé’, Zubeldía made an exception for the Carioca derbies regarding the quality of the spectacle. This Saturday (14), a new ‘test’ of the coach’s statement will be seen. At Engenhão, Flamengo faces Botafogo, starting at 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time), for the sixth round of the Brasileirão.

If there’s Mengão on the field, there will be coverage by Coluna do Fla, live from the stadium. In addition, Prime Video will broadcast the derby live via streaming. The commentary will be by Rômulo Mendonça, and one of the commentators will be former Flamengo player Léo Moura.

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