Fluminense loses and Marcelo apologizes to the fans

To top off a difficult week, Fluminense lost to Vitória this Thursday (28), 1-0, at Maracanã, in a game valid for the 12th round of the Brazilian Championship. With the result, Tricolor occupies the last position in the championship. Despite the difficult moment, Marcelo, Flu's left-back, believes that it is possible to get out of this situation. The full-back apologized and asked the fans for patience.

Performance on the Field

Three days after firing coach Fernando Diniz, Fluminense was defeated again at Maracanã, this time to Vitória. In a game with few actions, Tricolor started better. Just 10 minutes into the game, Keno received a pass from Marcelo, dodged the opposing defender and shot into the right corner of goalkeeper Lucas Arcanjo, who stretched out to save. With a game plan still closely identified with the former coach, Fluminense once again made mistakes with the ball. In a defensive failure, Gabriel Pires missed a pass that almost resulted in a goal for Alerrandro, but goalkeeper Fábio made the save.

In the second half, Flu started better, but declined throughout the game. In an attempt to make Vitória's defense more difficult, coach Marcão brought on Renato Augusto and John Kennedy in place of Martinelli and PH Ganso. JK's entry was celebrated by the fans, but the forward did not perform well. In an attempt to infiltrate the opponent's area, JK was disarmed and, on the counterattack, at 44 minutes into the second half, Vitória's forward Zé Hugo got away from four markers and found Janderson on the right, who shot into the left corner, leaving Fábio with no chance.

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_{Marcelo from Fluminense (Photo: reproduction/Wagner Meier/Getty Images Embed)}

Marcelo's outburst

Marcelo, captain and one of the most successful players in the tricolor squad, spoke as he left the pitch and described the team's current situation in the championship as very difficult, apologizing to the fans.It's a difficult time that we're going through, we've been like this for a while. We're training to get out of this situation as quickly as possible, and we will get out. There's no point talking, we have to show it on the field. The fans tried to help today, but I know we'll get out. It's taking a while, but we're doing the best we can, that's the only thing I can say, sorry to the fans and ask for patience.”said the full-back.

Asked by the 'TV Globo' reporter, Marcelo commented on the impact of Fernando Diniz's departure on the group. “Yes, it had an impact, but we know that’s how football is. A companion, he left our daily lives, but we have to be with Marcão, we have to be with Fluminense, because if we keep thinking about it, it's worse. I think we reacted well, we can't mix things up. Today the defeat has nothing to do with what happened.”.

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_{Fluminense coach Marcão (Photo: reproduction/Wagner Meier/Getty Images Embed)}

New style of play and internal group pressure

For coach Marcão, it is still too early for the team to assimilate his ideas, but the coach liked the fact that the team finished more. “There was little time to try to change, what was done with Fernando is ingrained. We have to adjust what Marcão thinks, as quickly as possible to try to implement it. We finished more, we were closer to scoring. However, Vitória had a wall back there, making the transition. Unfortunately, they scored the goal and took away our chance of having a better result.” Said the coach.

Marcão also stated that, internally, the players are demanding that the team get out of this uncomfortable situation: “They argued inside. there were four of our players and one of them. If we had made a tactical foul, we would have been behind the ball line and with no risk of not conceding that goal. Let's sit down and analyze, we are in the relegation zone, and the gap you give, you take the goal. It’s the moment we can’t make mistakes.” Fluminense's acting coach spoke. As found out by Caio Blois, from 'Trivela'Tricolor will not go to the market at this time to look for a new coach. In principle, Marcão will remain in the position until the end of the season.

With yesterday's defeat, Fluminense has further complicated its situation. The club remains in last place in the Brazilian Championship, with 6 points in 12 games, and four behind Vasco, the first club outside the relegation zone. Tricolor has another duel to fight against relegation this coming Sunday (30), this time against fellow tricolor and second-to-last in the table, Grêmio, of Flu's old acquaintance, Renato Gaúcho. Due to the tragedies in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Grêmio will host this game at the Centenário Stadium, in Caxias do Sul. The clubs, who will be opponents in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, are still seeking rehabilitation in the Brazilian Championship.

Featured photo: Marcelo do Fluminense (Reproduction/Marcelo Gonçalves/Flickr/FLUMINENSE FC)