Grêmio Cuiaba, at Arena Pantanal, from 7pm, will be under pressure to try to cut the distance in a head-to-head confrontation in the battle against relegation. Wednesday’s opponent is the first team out of Z-4 and has a seven-point advantage, giving decision weight to a duel valid for the fifth round of Brazil.
Tricolor will still have one less game compared to Cuiabá, as they have to face Flamengo to complete their share of delayed games.
Defeat makes the opponent open 10 points, although it does not change the distance with the first team outside Z-4, because Fluminense, with 17 points, will drop to 16th place. But in addition to affecting the table, a bad result will only make matters worse weather and may lead to changes.
The expectation of leaving Porto Alegre’s atmosphere of pressure was frustrating upon arriving at the hotel housing the Grêmio delegation in Mato Grosso with protest. A group of Grêmio fans waited for the delegation carrying banners and rockets in protest of the team’s poor phase. Indeed, this could be repeated in Cuiaba even in the event of defeat.
Referring to the latest episode of the off-court controversy, the presence of two players at a birthday party on Sunday, the banners read: “Grêmio pagode: Inimigos da Vitória” and “É us boy from Rebaixasamba!”.
Douglas Costa upon the arrival of Grêmio’s delegation to Cuiabá – Photo: Lucas Uebel / Grêmio
Filippao’s powerful interview after the loss to Sao Paulo set the tone for the week’s demands. Annoyed by the handed goal and the loss of a point in Morumbi, Grêmio’s boss demanded a new mode of players for the competition sequence.
– Players are getting stuck more and more, under this mode of going down. We are not going, but we have to play differently, to be different, to accept what we are, to be able to do differently – the coach indicated.
On Monday, after the players’ controversial attendance at a birthday party the day before, it was President Romildo Bolzan’s turn to take action. The agent gathered all the players to talk about the moment and the difficulties the club is facing. The tone of the meeting was one of optimism, with a vote of confidence from Bolzan that the group would respond.
Reporter Eduardo Mora updates the week’s information on Grêmio
In addition to the pressures and difficulties of the team, another point that increases the degree of difficulty of Wednesday’s match is the heat of Cuiaba. Predictions are that the temperature should be around 34°C at the start of the game.
To try to beat a direct opponent, Filipao is betting on a new midfield. Thiago Santos and rookie Villasante will be responsible for protecting the defensive system as well as helping to start the offensive build, as Maicon advances. Without Jeromeel hanging out, the tendency is for Rodrigues to form a double defense with Rowan.
The game gained an air of decision behind the scenes of Grêmio, and a final failure against Cuiabá, in addition to awarding 10 points of advantage to the first team outside of Z-4, could also cause changes in the club to Brazil’s sequence.
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