The attacker Pablo does not believe in ease for the Athletico in the duel before the Ypiranga-RSfor the third phase of the Copa do Brasil. After completing 300 games with the Furacão shirt, the player put his feet on the ground for the match scheduled for this Saturday (13), at 6 pm, at Ligga Arena, in Curitiba.
“We have a decision in the Copa do Brasil and we need the support of the fans, as they always have. Everyone thinks it’s a small club, but that’s not how football works. Nowadays it’s very difficult to play games against any team,” he said.
Ypiranga is in ninth place in Série C with 16 points in nine games (three games were postponed due to flooding in the state). However, even with the difference between the clubs, Rubro-Negro lost, in a comeback, 2-1 in the first leg.
In this scenario, Athletico needs to win to qualify for the round of 16 of the tournament. If they win by a one-goal margin, the decision will be made in a penalty shootout.
Despite the team’s poor form at the Ligga Arena, the striker said that Athletico still has a chance of reaching the final stretch of the World Cups to seek another significant title for the club.
“We are only halfway through the year. Nothing is lost. There is a lot to happen and we have to be focused to do things in the best way possible,” he added.
Pablo remembers “Jogo CAP” and talks about changing coaches at Athletico
Uruguayan coach Martín Varini, who will make his debut in charge of the red-black team against Ypiranga-RS, is the team’s third coach this year. Before him, Juan Carlos Osório was fired and Cuca, in June, resigned in a turbulent departure.
Despite the club’s objective being to have the same playing style, the striker highlighted that each coach has his own way of working with the team.
“Since 2016, when Paulo Autuori was our coach, a game mechanism was created to have possession of the ball and be vertical and aggressive all the time. Obviously, coaches come and go and each one brings their own way of playing. There are some who are more defensive, who like long balls, possession… You create a pattern, but each coach has his own methodology and way of playing,” he said.
As Varini’s intention is to have possession of the ball to create chances in attack, the expectation is to know whether Furacão will be able to break through the blockade of their rival from Rio Grande do Sul even after only having one training session with the new coach.