Renato Gaúcho praises Fluminense’s commitment, defends strategy in win | OneFootball

This Sunday, Fluminense defeated Vitória by 1 to 0 and returned to triumph in the Brazilian Championship after three games without a win. Coach Renato Gaúcho praised the team's performance.

In his analysis, Renato highlighted the team's ability to withstand pressure in a hostile environment and to be efficient at the right moments.

“A game of great effort. We needed to score points again. We knew the game was going to be difficult, but my team knew how to withstand the pressure, knew how to defend when it had to,” commented the coach, who added: “We tried to attack whenever the opponent gave us space. Anyway, it was a game, especially in the first half, very intense. We managed to score a goal, which gave us greater tranquility.”

The lineup of a mixed team was one of the central points of the interview, and Renato Gaúcho vehemently defended his strategy. With a decisive game against Lanús in the Copa Sudamericana next Tuesday, rotating the squad was, according to him, a non-negotiable necessity.

“It's very easy for some to always criticize the coach. Why not always put the main team on the field? Because it's impossible. People have to understand that,” vented Renato. “Those who understand football know what they're doing, that's the reality. Then someone goes out there, gives their opinion, doesn't know what happens during the week, doesn't have the information about the players who have heavy legs, who are feeling something, the fatigue.”

The coach reminded that Fluminense is the only Brazilian club still alive in three competitions and is coming off a marathon that included the Club World Cup semifinal and the Carioca final, justifying the need to manage the squad to avoid injuries.

Fluminense's Phase

With the away victory, Fluminense rises to the eighth position in the Brasileirão, with 31 points, gaining important momentum. Now, the full focus shifts to the return match against Lanús on Tuesday at Maracanã, where the team will need to overturn the 1-0 defeat in the first leg to advance in the Sudamericana. In the Brasileirão, the next challenge is the classic against Botafogo on Sunday.

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