The week(end) that was - #2

Football itself ceded centre stage to Brazil's stadiums this week, as the Arena do Grêmio and the Mineirão hogged the headlines for all the wrong reasons...

Stadium woes (part one)

"But can we still do the avalanche?" This was the first question asked by most Grêmio fans when plans for their new stadium were unveiled in late 2009. Their (in)famous goal celebration – which involves members of the Geral supporters' group rushing to the front of the terrace as one – was deeply associated with the Estádio Olímpico, whose shallow stands lent themselves to the idea as well as any. To maintain the tradition, one terrace of the Arena do Grêmio – which opened this year – was designed with the 'avalanche' specifically in mind – despite reservations voiced by the local military police corps over the safety of the celebration.

Those fears came flooding back last week. The safety barrier at the bottom of the stand dedicated to the 'avalanche' gave way as fans celebrated Grêmio's goal against LDU, leaving eight people requiring medical attention. Thankfully none were seriously injured, but in a state still in shock following the tragic events in Santa Maria, a hard truth seems to have hit home: tradition it may be, but a crowd of thousands piling down steps towards a barrier (sturdy or otherwise) is simply not safe. With local authorities and Conmebol investigating the incident, the addition of seats in the area is likely.

Miralles finds his feet at Santos

One of a number of Argentines to have come to prominence in Chilean football (see also: Darío Conca, Walter Montillo, Darío Bottinelli), Ezequiel Miralles made an inauspicious start to life in Brazil, making just nine Brasileirão starts for Grêmio before being shipped off to Santos in the deal that took Elano to Porto Alegre.

There are signs, however, that he could be ready to make a bigger impact in 2013. Miralles looked sharp in the seasiders' 3-1 derby win against São Paulo, scoring twice and linking up well with both Neymar and fellow hermano Montillo. With his waspish movement, the 29-year-old certainly provides a more subtle threat than André, his main competitor for a starting role. Much will depend on whether he can be similarly ruthless in front of goal, but Sunday's performance bodes well.

Stadium woes (part two)

After over a thousand days of restoration work, the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte was reopened by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff in December. The new-look stadium was used for the first time this weekend, with the clássico between Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG expected to be a celebratory affair.

But the football itself was overshadowed by a host of problems reported by fans. The more serious allegations – a lack of drinking water (in water fountains and subsequently even from taps), understaffed bars which then closed due to overcrowding, no toilet paper in bathrooms – provide significant cause for concern. The distress evident on the face of one man caught on camera, desperate for water to give to his son, was particularly troubling.

"The idea that these are just little teething troubles doesn't cut it," seethed Estadão's Antero Greco. "Fans were treated with disrespect – like they were litter. And they have the cheek to put up banners that say things like 'Enjoy the party!' It's lamentable."

Home sweet... oh

Paulo Henrique Ganso played against Santos for the first time since his acrimonious departure last year. To celebrate the occasion, the Peixe fans printed fake bank notes with his name and face on them, threw coins and even made a Ganso 'Judas doll' (don't ask) to punch, scratch and curse. At least somebody was a little more forgiving.

Like a duck to water

It's fair to say that Alexandre Pato knows how to make a good impression. (Insert Barbara Berlusconi joke here, if you're so inclined.) It took the striker just three minutes – and three touches – to open his account for Corinthians after coming off the bench against Oeste. Incredibly, he has now scored on début for every team he had represented at senior level, having made similarly positive first impressions for Internacional, Milan and the seleção. Whether he can maintain the early momentum, of course, will depend largely on his fitness – as both he and the Timão medical department will well know.

A version of this article was published by The Guardian here.

Why Philippe Coutinho could be a star for Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho's proposed move to Liverpool edged ever closer to completion over the weekend, with Internazionale accepting a revised offer from the Anfield club.

I wrote a profile of the young Brazilian in my weekly Unibet column, in which I suggest that Coutinho, with his mercurial dribbling ability and eye for the unexpected, could be a big hit in the Premier League.

Click here to read the article.

The week(end) that was - #1

Welcome to a new feature! Once a week or so, I will reflect on some of the interesting stories that have developed in Brazilian football over the last few days (either over the weekend or during the week, hence the hopelessly non-comittal title). I'll be keeping it relatively short and sweet; brevity, after all, is man's best friend. Enjoy!

Tough times for Ganso

Paulo Henrique Ganso scored his first goal for São Paulo in their 2-1 win over Atlético Sorocaba but has a real fight on his hands to even establish himself in Ney Franco's first XI. The coach told Trivela's Luís Augusto Simon that the playmaker will have to compete with Jádson for a single spot in his preferred 4-3-3 formation, given that (a) Wellington and Denílson look like nailed-on starters and (b) neither Jádson nor Ganso is adept at playing wide. Ganso is certainly capable of higher highs than Jádson, but the latter is, in Brazilian parlance, far more regular – and sometimes consistency counts for a lot.

Elias and Renato Augusto start off on the right foot

Two of the bigger imports to Brazilian football made promising starts over the weekend. For newly austere Flamengo, former Sporting midfielder Elias roamed around nicely, managing to complete all 33 passes he attempted against Volta Redonda – no mean feat given his main attributes lie elsewhere. Renato Augusto, meanwhile, set up the winner for Corinthians against Mirassol (not a Cypriot town, despite its name), before awarding himself a modest six out of ten in the post-match press conference. More will be expected of both in the coming months, but a solid start never goes amiss.

Seedorf key for Botafogo

Veteran midfielder-cum-crooner Clarence Seedorf came off the bench for Botafogo and helped them rescue a point in the clássico against Fluminense. It was doubtful whether he'd even be in the matchday squad at all – his grandmother having died in Surinam recently – but his classy assist for Bolívar's equalising goal underlined once more how crucial he is for O Glorioso.

The countdown continues

The World Cup is now just 500 days away. While celebrations have been put on hold due to the tragic events in Santa Maria, a significant milestone was reached at the weekend: for the first time football was played in a (renovated) World Cup stadium. The Castelão (above) drew a modest (read: disappointing) crowd for the Copa do Nordeste match between Ceará and Bahia, for whom former Brazil midfielder Kléberson netted the winning goal. With works on the Mineirão also completed, eyes now turn to the remaining ten host cities. Sadly, a last-minute rush is all but guaranteed.

Neymar the willing provocateur

Neymar scored his fourth goal of 2013 for Santos against Bragantino. More notable, however, was the rugged treatment he received from opposition defenders: the seleção forward was fouled 12 times (of a total of 24 against the Peixe), with four Bragantino players getting booked for their challenges. Now the Neymar of two years ago would have moaned to the referee about such abuse, but an internal sea change appears to have occurred. "I don't care anymore," Neymar deadpanned afterwards; "One of them comes [and fouls me] and he gets a yellow card. The next guy tries, he gets one too."

His tricks against Botafogo-SP last week had led some to claim that Neymar aims to "humiliate" defenders, and that this somehow justifies rough challenges. (Corinthians coach Tite (in)famously asserted last year that Neymar is a "bad example" to young players for this very reason.) This is nonsense, of course; a player has the right to do whatever aids his team – and pleases fans – within the laws of the game. Angering opponents to the extent that they behave rashly is a legitimate tactic, albeit a dangerous one. It might be hypocritical, of course, to wind players up and then moan when you get fouled, but Neymar's comments suggest that he's not going to fall foul (ahem) of that dilemma anymore.


A version of this round-up was published by The Guardian here.

Five storylines to follow in Brazil's state championships

Brazilian football is back! After a long, gruelling wait roughly five weeks, the dust has settled on the 2012 season and Corinthians, Fluminense et al have to go out there and earn their stripes all over again. Luckily, for the first few weeks at least, 'out there' remains pretty local; yes, this is state championship season.

Aware that not everybody goes gaga for the whole really-big-teams-playing-really-tiny-teams-for-four-months schtick, I've picked out five storylines that should interest even those sceptical of the value of these regional competitions.

You can read the article at Unibet by clicking here.

(Photo credit: Sergio Barzaghi, Gazeta Press.)

Rivaldo still going strong at 40

Of the 'Three Rs' who lit up Brazil's 2002 World Cup campaign, two have hogged the headlines in recent months. A rejuvenated Ronaldinho Gaúcho was elected the player of the year in the Brasileirão following a series of dynamic displays for Atlético Mineiro while Ronaldo Fenômeno has been busy in his retirement, promoting his sports marketing agency and enrolling in the Brazilian version of Celebrity Fat Club. (I'll save you from Googling it yourself.)

This week, though, the third R is back on the scene. At the ripe old age of 40, Rivaldo has signed a one-year deal with São Caetano, meaning that he will appear in the Campeonato Paulista – the most prestigious of Brazil's state championships, although that isn't saying much these days – and Brazil's second division.

Read the rest of this article over at ESPN FC here.

Brazilian football digest: December

The latest edition of my monthly round-up for the Betting Expert blog features the new Club World Cup champions, a striker whose star sparkled in Japan, some youthful arrogance and a timely reminder of Paulo Henrique Ganso's subtle skillset.

You can read the article here.

Brazilian football new year's resolutions

Alternative title: funny things that have happened in Brazilian football in the last 12 months that I have callously grouped together in one of those not-entirely-coherent end-of-year lists.

Still, everybody else is doing it, so why can't I?* Happy new year!

I will... train more often
Adriano upon signing for Corinthians last year: "My aim is to return to the national team. I'm sure it's possible. I've come here to win."

March 2012: Corinthians terminate Adriano's contract after revealing that the striker skipped 67 (67!) training sessions in a year. 

I will... pay for items at the club shop
"You're not paying my brother," exclaimed Assis, sibling and agent of a certain Ronaldinho, as he pushed a trolley full of merchandise towards the exit of the Flamengo club shop. "So I'm not paying either."

An hour and a half later, after frantic discussions with Fla's director of finance Michel Levy, Assis left the store with 25 free shirts - the number to which Levy was entitled through his role at the club. Brilliantly, this didn't quite satisfy the 41-year-old Assis, who grabbed - and proceeded to pay for - two towels emblazoned with his brother's image before storming out. 

I will... trust my players
Convinced that Ronaldinho is violating club policy by sneaking women into the club's pre-season training camp, Flamengo coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo takes matters into his own hands, trawling through CCTV footage at the Londrina hotel his the players are staying. "Sherlock Luxa", as he is later dubbed by GloboEsporte, finds what he was looking for and demands that Ronaldinho is sacked.

Two weeks later: Flamengo dismiss Luxemburgo. (#playerpower)

I will... consider the long-term effects of my actions
17 October: Palmeiras fan Adailton Alves quits his job as a janitor to lend his support as his club fights relegation. "My wife isn't happy but it's better to be addicted to Palmeiras than to drugs or alcohol. It was so sad when Palmeiras were relegated in 2002. I hope it turns out differently this time."

18 November: Palmeiras relegated. Adailton unemployed.

I will... be more modest
Vanderlei Luxemburgo to an unnamed Flamengo player: "You're a shit. You're poor. I own three aeroplanes."

I will... not cast the first stone
Palmeiras midfielder Daniel Carvalho, criticised for being out of shape since his return to Brazil: "When I arrived at CSKA Moscow they gave me steroids to bulk me up."

Roman Babaev, CSKA Moscow director of football: "It's nonsense. He likes eating."

I will... abide by the laws of the game
A modest state championship game between Guarany-SE and Sergipe hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in April. With Sergipe leading 1-0 in the dying stages, Guarany goalkeeper Acássio went forward for a corner, ending up marooned as Sergipe broke away seconds later. Midfielder Diego Lima charged into the Guarany half, guided a shot past the last defender, and waited for the net to ripple.

But it didn't ripple. Rather, a rogue ballboy nipped onto the pitch and volleyed the ball clear. An unseemly brawl and internet stardom ensued, but the ballboy was unrepentant when interviewed: "I don't regret it because we [Guarany] were robbed by the referee. He disallowed a clear goal earlier in the match."

I will... dress up more often
Neymar. And again.

I will... keep my thoughts to myself
In a Rio nightclub in the early hours of the morning, Adriano stumbles onto the stage and grabs a microphone. "I want to tell everyone here that I love Flamengo. I know this will be all over the internet tomorrow. I'm from the slums and you can't take that away from me!"

Flamengo president Patrícia Amorim: "He makes it hard for us."

I will... be more respectful to women
Corinthians striker Elton on his sexual prowess: "You have to be deadly - both on and off the pitch. I really go for it. By my count, I've slept with over 500 women."

I will... take more care with my work
Palmeiras hired an artist to sculpt a bust of legendary goalkeeper Marcos, who retired this year. Let's just say the result wasn't quite satisfactory...

I will... put my fingers in my ears and hold my breath
Caldense player Leandrão missed his side's state championship opener with a bad case of... hiccups.

I will... not covet another man's (child's) possessions
CBF official José Maria Marin was caught pocketing a medal at a youth football tournament. The real joke? He's now the CBF president.

I will... suppress my vampire instincts
Irritated by the attentions of Boca Juniors player Matías Caruzzo in the Copa Libertadores final, Corinthians forward Emerson Sheik went all Mike Tyson, taking a big old bite of the defender's hand.

"He started spitting at me, then he ran his hand over my ass two or three times," Emerson later told Placar magazine. "What was I supposed to do, punch him? In any other game I would have. When we fell on the floor and he pushed my face, the sweat made his fingers slip into my mouth. That was bad luck for him."

(Emerson, by the way, has a pet monkey. Make of that what you will.)


*NB – this is an entirely unacceptable moral code.

A version of this article was published by The Guardian here.