It has been a long wait, but Thiago Silva’s first game since his return to Fluminense seems to be approaching. Although he was introduced more than a month ago, the defender had to wait for the transfer window in Brazil to open to be registered in the Brasileirão.
It looks like the 39-year-old player will wear the Tricolor uniform again this Sunday (21), when Flu visits Cuiabá in the 18th round of the Série A Brazilian Championship. While Mano Menezes has yet to confirm the lineup, the former Chelsea player is already excited about his possible debut.
“I feel prepared. Very anxious to be able to return,” Thiago said in a press conference where he was completely honest about his and the club’s situation. “Of course, I didn’t expect the situation to be as it is now. But to change that, only with a lot of work and many conversations. We had 10 days of mini-preparation. After that, there is a game every three days. I still have to readapt to Brazilian football. With the fields, with the logistics. I already knew this was going to happen. Together with the club’s technical staff, we will take precautions to avoid any kind of injury.”
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Silva addresses Fluminense’s delicate situation
Fluminense’s current situation is far from pleasant, as they are last in the Brazilian league with just eight points from 16 matches. Months after winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores for the first time in their history, the club fears being relegated to the second tier.
“I didn’t imagine we would go through this moment. Libertadores champion, Recopa champion, with the best football seen and, suddenly, things are not going as they did last year. You lose confidence. Every time we didn’t win, the pressure got stronger. But with the defeats, confidence goes down. A player without confidence is difficult to trust in the next game. It’s a difficult moment, not a simple one. I didn’t imagine being in this situation,” Silva admitted.
Even so, the experienced defender issued a warning to all his teammates: “There was a change in command. Now there must be a change in attitude. It is much easier to change one person than to change 25 players. We have to look inside and see what we are doing wrong. We all have to do that. It’s no use just saying ‘it was Diniz’. Only we will get Fluminense out of this situation.”
“The moment is difficult, complicated. It’s not easy to arrive like this, especially coming from a preseason. I didn’t have the opportunity to play any friendly matches. But experience makes me calmer. I try to stay calm to do what I did in training correctly. Although the moment is not ideal, the group gave me confidence to come. It’s no use thinking about surpassing two, three teams ahead and not surpassing the first one. We respect Cuiabá, who plays at home, but Fluminense will try to play for victory. The anxiety is very high.”
Thiago Silva doesn’t believe he can play every match
“Besides the club’s situation and the lack of confidence (of the players), it’s readapting to the field part. That will be the worst for me. The logistics. I played more than 40 matches at Chelsea, but it was one match a week because I was out of the Champions League. When it was a Cup match, I rested. I kept the average of games high. Here in Brazil, it will be difficult because of the logistics and one game after another. We play on Sunday against Cuiabá and return at 5 am to face Palmeiras at home. The gap between games is less than 48 hours. It’s not fair to the player. But I came knowing the responsibility. That must be discussed with Mano. I won’t be able to play all the games at the beginning. But if my sacrifice is needed, I will be here to help,” said Silva.
But Silva made it clear he believes he can help in this context: “I believe our history was already written. I felt this desire in my heart. Many asked: ‘why didn’t you come back earlier to win the Libertadores?’ Because it wasn’t the time. When Fluminense needs it the most, here I am. My affection for Fluminense is enormous. I know my capacity, but I can’t do anything alone. I hope we have this awareness. Of the jersey we are wearing and the responsibility we have. Thiago came back, but it’s not an individual sport. I need all of them to help me. Much more than they imagine. I’m not a savior of the homeland. Alone I will do nothing. But together, we can.”
