Saturday morning, Coach Tite left Rio’s Copa Star hospital feeling much better after a health scare. Doctors treated him for an arrhythmia that had spiked his heart rate.
On his way out, Tite gave a thumbs up to the medical team and reporters: “I was very well looked after by the doctor. I’m fine. Good job to you guys and thank you very much.”
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Despite the good news, Tite has been advised to take it easy for the next 48 hours, which means he won’t be on the sidelines for Flamengo’s game against Bragantino this Sunday. Instead, his son, Matheus Bachi, who is also an assistant coach, will handle the coaching duties at Maracanã. The match is a part of the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship, kicking off at 4 pm Brasília time.
Tite’s health issues began after a game in La Paz, Bolivia. The high altitude there, about 3,600 meters above sea level, caused his heart rate problems. After the match, the team came straight back to Rio, where Tite went directly to the hospital on Friday morning.
Using Santa Cruz de La Sierra in Bolivia as a base, which is at sea level, Flamengo had only ascended to La Paz a few hours before their match. This strategy usually helps teams adjust to the altitude, but it still took a toll on Tite, who powered through the game and even attended the post-match press conference alongside goalkeeper Rossi.
