Fluminense’s defeat to Botafogo deepened their football crisis in the Brazilian league. With just six points from eight matches (one win, three draws, and four losses), Fernando Diniz’s team is 16th, just one place above the relegation zone.
Criciúma, currently 17th, has only one point less but also three games in hand, so Flu could fall into the red zone soon. That’s why the coach, who led the club to its first CONMEBOL Libertadores victory last year, acknowledged that the fans deserve much better from their team.
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“The opponents study us. But what worries me most today is the lack of condition to do the best we can. Today Botafogo played well, they are in a good moment. They played on a field that suits them. But my biggest concern is to make Fluminense play as well as possible. We are going to reformulate according to the best we can. We are far from doing what we did in 2022 and 2023. There is no lack of effort in any way. In low moments, we have to improve. We are indebted to the fans,” Diniz said.
“In the way I see football and the way the team plays, all the players must give their best so we can play well and attack well, so we have a collective problem. When we add up the six months of the season, we are in debt and need to improve. There are no excuses, we need to improve,” he added.
Fluminense will have the opportunity to bounce back on Saturday (15th), when they host Atlético Goianiense at the Maracanã.
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.
