He had Brazilian standing out in the decision of the Champions League (Champions League). Not the European, which is in the semifinals, but the Asian, decided on Saturday (3), in Saudi Arabia.
Not only a Brazilian. Two.
Striker Galeno, 27, former Sport, scored Saudi’s first goal Al ahli against Japanese Kawasaki Frontale at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeda, taken by 60,000 people, hoping massively to the home team.
Roberto Firmino gave the pass to Galeno to score and crossed in the head of Marfinense Kessié, author of the second goal. With two assists in 2-0, the 33 -year -old Brazilian was the name of the game, being elected MVP (Most Valuable Player, the most valuable player) of the final.
Firmino has been “out of the scene” since half of 2023, when he left the English giant Liverpool – in which he remained for eight seasons and gained champions league and club world in 2019, as well as an English championship and other titles – to venture into Al Ahli.
Nothing more natural (leave the scene). Apart from Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7), Badalada Very for being (along with Argentine Messi), the best player so far of the 21st century, who leaves Europe and will make (more) money in the Middle Some of the news.
Why? Because the championships there (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar) are considered uninteresting by most of the world, Brazil included.
In Liverpool, Firmino formed a memorable attack with Egyptian Mohamed Salah and Senegalese Sadio Mané.
Mané, like the Brazilian, left European football in the middle of 2023 and sent to Saudi Arabia (Al Nassr, the same team of CR7). And, like the Brazilian, “disappeared”, no one else knew, no one else saw.
Salah continues in Liverpool and remains a lot (well) spoken. Renewed a contract recently-it was necessary to go where Firmino and Mané-and in the portentous individual season, led the Reds to the Premier League title and is one of those listed to win the next best in the world (Golden Ball and The Best).
Returning to Firmino, the last time I remember writing about him was when Tite excluded him from the call to the Qatar World Cup in November 2022. I even considered significant his absence, I thought it could be a good replacement for Neymar.
In this Asian Champions, the Alagoas of Maceió showed that it still yields. In the unbeaten campaign of Al Ahli’s unpublished title, wearing shirt 10 and with the captain’s armband, he played in 12 of the 13 games (ten of them as a starter), scored six goals and gave seven assists.
In the decisive phase, played in the nine -day half -day (JEDA), with eliminatory games, it shone not only in the final, but in the quarterfinals (a goal and a 3-0 assistance at the Thailand Provincial Electrical) and the semifinal (a 3-1 goal in the Saudi duel with Al Hilal, coach Jorge Jesus).
Ended with the best competition award.
Does the Portuguese Jesus, if he is the next coach of the Brazilian National Team (is one of the quoted), will rescue Firmino, who has not dressed the yellow shirt since 2021?
As the national team is laughing, it may be the case of giving the veteran a new chance. Some will say: he is playing in a peripheral league and the Asian Champions is not “Champions, not Libertadores.
Not really, the level is lower. But dozens of players could have been the ace of the competition (among them CR7, who fell into the semifinal). Firmino is who he was, and can, with his vision of game and intelligence, offer more than Joelinton or Lucas Paquetá in the national team.
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