Botafogo lost to Pachuca (MEX) 3-0, this Wednesday (11/12), and was eliminated from the Intercontinental Cup. The game took place at the 974 Stadium in Qatar. The black and white delegation left Brazil late on Sunday night, after a duel against São Paulo, and disembarked in the Asian country after a 15-hour flight.
To get to Qatar in the shortest possible time, John Textor, owner of SAF do Botafogo, arranged the private plane of the New England Patriots, an NFL team, whose owner is Robert Kraft, with whom he has a friendly relationship.
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With the plane, in addition to leaving Rio de Janeiro quickly, there was also the promise of comfort, as the aircraft’s seats are larger and wider than those on a commercial plane, as American football athletes are strong.
However, after the defeat to Pachuca, defender Alexander Barboza criticized the plane.
– I had the dream of lifting three more cups, but it wasn’t possible. There is no body that can take it. There were many games in a row. The trip was long, more than 15 hours. The plane was not the best, it was a weak plane. And that mattered. We tried to play, we had goal situations, but it didn’t work. The year was incredible for everyone, for the fans and for the club – said the defender, in an interview in the mixed zone.
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Why was an NFL team’s plane called weak? There are explanations for the revolt after behind-the-scenes revelations about Botafogo’s trip to Qatar.
Why did Barboza complain about the plane?
According to an article published by the website “Uol”, the trip on the Patriots aircraft generated great revolt among the squad. There was discomfort and complaints. There were not enough rows of three chairs for each player to go to Qatar.
Some of the remaining benches did not recline. There are also reports that many of the most comfortable seats were occupied by directors.
The report also detailed the situation of a player, whose name was not revealed, who lay down in the aisle of the plane due to back pain. He was repressed by a flight attendant, who claimed that the route was a service passage.
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What are the Intercontinental Cup games?
Game 1 – African/Asian/Pacific Playoff
- Date: September 22, 2024
- Clubes: Al Ain 6 x 2 Auckland City
- Location: Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
Game 2 – African/Asian/Pacific Cup
- Date: October 29, 2024
- Clubes: Al-Ahly 3 x 0 Al Ain
- Location: Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Game 3 – Derby of the Americas
- Date: December 11, 2024
- Clubs: Botafogo 0 x 3 Pachuca
- Location: Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar
Game 4 – Challenger Cup
- Date: December 14, 2024
- Clubs: Pachuca x Al-Ahly
- Location: Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar
Game 5 – Intercontinental Cup Final
- Date: December 18, 2024
- Clubs: Real Madrid x winner of Game 4
- Location: Lusail National Stadium, Doha, Qatar
What is the prize pool for the Intercontinental Cup?
- Champion – US$5 million (R$29 million)
- Vice – US$4 million (R$23 million)
- Semifinalists – US$2.5 million (R$14.4 million)
- Eliminated in the quarterfinals – Al-Ain and Botafogo: US$ 1 million (R$ 5.7 million)
- 6th place – Auckland City (New Zealand) – US$500 thousand (R$2.8 million)
