This Sunday (29), in the fifth round of the Brazilian Championship. After the match, former player and commentator Felipe Melo, from “sportv”, assessed the crisis experienced by Alvinegro.
“Botafogo can only have a good group, where the athletes like each other, as they have a very professional leadership. If they had lazy players, excuse the term, every segment has that less professional guy, who rows against”, began Felipe Melo.
“Everywhere they have it, in Botafogo they don’t have it. It’s a group that takes to the field, is dedicated, trains, doesn’t see a problem with players arriving late. It’s a professional squad. It’s a problem that comes from above and affects the athletes”, concluded the former Fluminense and Palmeiras midfielder.
Under interim command of Rodrigo Bellão since the dismissal of Martín Anselmi, Botafogo is in Z4 of Série A, with five defeats and two wins in seven rounds. The club is experiencing a scenario of uncertainty due to the SAF’s financial and institutional crisis.
The team has already had bad results in the State Championships – where it did not qualify for the final phase – and in the Libertadores – where it fell in the third preliminary phase. Former striker Caio Ribeiro also gave his opinion on ‘SporTV Closing’.
“Botafogo doesn’t even have a coach. He’s an interim coach, which makes it even more difficult. This explains the low production, especially from the goalkeepers. Are you going to say that Neto, Léo Linck, Raul, who played today, don’t have quality? Everyone has failed a lot. The first goal can’t be taken under the leg, as it was, and Esquível’s goal from a direct ball is a misreading. Botafogo has lost important points due to the goalkeeper’s mistakes”, commented commentator Caio Ribeiro.
Hurricane’s rout
To reach their third consecutive victory in the championship, Athletico counted on the artillery of Viveros, scorer of the first two goals. Aguirre scored the third and Esquível closed the scoring with an Olympic goal.
Edenílson scored for Botafogo, in the first half, tying the game at that moment.
The situation in Serie A
Odair Hellmann’s team reached the same 16 points as São Paulo and Fluminense, but prevailed in the tiebreaker criteria.
Botafogo, with six points, opens the relegation zone, in 17th place.
The teams return to the field on Wednesday (1st). Alvinegro hosts Mirassol, at Nilton Santos, and Athletico visits Bahia, at Fonte Nova, for the ninth round of the Brasileirão.
