Thiago Silva didn’t mince words after Fluminense’s 2-1 loss to Grêmio in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Round of 16. The 39-year-old defender criticized himself, “Mistakes? That’s just football. No mistakes, no goals…that’s part of it! I make mistakes, I’ve made a lot of them in my career and I’ll continue to make them”, Silva said.
He stressed the need for calm and the opportunity to learn and improve, “The best thing to do at this point is to be calm and know that there are things that can be improved and to move forward because mistakes are part of football,”
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The game’s turning point came after Fluminense initially pulled ahead in the second half with Lima scoring at the 57th minute. But Grêmio quickly flipped the script. Reinaldo not only equalized from the penalty spot at the 73rd minute but also clinched the lead three minutes later, leaving Fluminense reeling.
GANHAMOS! #Grêmio 2×1 Fluminense
Começamos as oitavas de final da #Libertadores2024 na frente! Com dois gols de Reinaldo, vencemos a equipe do Fluminense no Couto Pereira. VAMOOOOOOOSSS!!!!
🏆🏆🏆🇪🇪 #GRExFLU #CadaJogoUmaCopa pic.twitter.com/w3ljT7mQLC— Grêmio FBPA (@Gremio) August 13, 2024
Grêmio now heads into the return leg with the comfort of knowing a draw is enough to see them through. Fluminense, however, faces a tougher climb. They need a win by two clear goals to avoid the lottery of penalties.
Silva’s call to stay level-headed will be crucial as they prepare for a game that could end their Libertadores campaign or give them a shot at redemption.
