Grêmio will play again today after a stoppage of almost a month due to the floods that affected the state of Rio Grande do Sul and its capital Porto Alegre, which also forces it to move from its stadium. His reunion with the ball is not just another match, since he will face The Strongest for the Copa Libertadores with the obligation to win.
The last match that the Tricolor gaúcho played was on April 30, against Operário for the Brazilian Cup. Then the emergency that hit the south of the country broke out and led football clubs and their players to become active actors in the collection and distribution of solidarity aid.
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The water flooded the training centers, as well as the Arena do Gremio, inoperative due to the damage caused by the floods. Given this situation, the team led by Renato Portaluppi will play its home game at the Couto Pereira stadium, in the city of Curitiba, about 740 kilometers away from Porto Alegre.
The stadium where Grêmio will play at home
More than 40,000 people enter the stadium, where supporters have mobilized who will seek to collaborate so that their team wins. The Bolivian team is already classified with ten points in five games that make it the leader of group C, while the Brazilian team is last with three points, although with three games played.
O dia do nosso reencontro está chegando 🇪🇪💙 Longe, mas com a garra de cada gremista, de cada gaúcho!
O Couto Pereira terá pontos de coleta para doações ao RS e parte da renda do jogo será revertida às vítimas das enchentes.
Ingressos em: https://t.co/NwsBseVyT1 pic.twitter.com/qLS2Pjme08
— Grêmio FBPA (@Gremio) May 28, 2024
Grêmio, champion of the Libertadores three times (1983, 1995, 2017), must win to stop being bottom and then their qualification to the round of 16 will be played in a flurry of games to catch up: next Tuesday, June 4, visit to Huachipato (Chile) and four days later they receive Estudiantes (Argentina), also in Curitiba.
After being forced to help due to the floods, the gaúcho team moved ten days ago to São Paulo, to the Corinthians headquarters, to return to training. The coach will not be able to count on midfielder Mathías Villasanti due to suspension or winger Cristian Pavón due to injury, although he recovered left back Reinaldo from the infirmary.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
