Flamengo’s Filipe Luís Praises Team’s Performance in High-Altitude Draw
A hard-fought draw against LDU in the high-altitude city of Quito has left Flamengo’s coach, Filipe Luís, feeling satisfied with the outcome. The Brazilian coach praised his team’s performance in the 3rd round of the Libertadores group stage, acknowledging that a loss would have put them in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Terra.com.br, Filipe Luís revealed in a post-game interview that his team had to overcome significant challenges due to the high altitude of 2,850m above sea level. The coach disclosed that Bruno Henrique required oxygen cylinders to cope with the conditions, highlighting the difficulties faced by his team.
"Sempre é muito dificil jogar na altitude de Quito. Já tomei goleadas e já venci aqui, é complicado. Todo o contexto é diferente. A bola é mais rápida, os domínios escapam do pé. Às vezes você está acostumado a dar um passe à frente e ela (bola) vai embora," Filipe Luís said, as quoted by Terra.com.br.
The coach emphasized that his team opted for a strategy of shorter passes to counter the effects of the altitude. He also praised his team’s physical performance, particularly that of Gerson, who was tasked with pressuring the opponent and helping Wesley.
"O Gerson fez de uma forma incrível. Depois, com a bola no pé, ele não perde a bola. Ele foi o sacrificado pela parte física. O Evertton (Araújo) e o Erick (Pulgar) foram impressionantes," Filipe Luís added.
The coach also expressed his disappointment at the late withdrawal of Plata, who was forced to miss the game due to a knee injury. Filipe Luís stressed that Plata was an important player for him, possessing qualities and characteristics that he values highly.
"Sim, ele seria titular. Falei para ele depois do jogo contra o Vasco. É um jogador muito importante e especial para mim. Tem as qualidades e características que eu gosto," Filipe Luís said.
Filipe Luís also singled out Ayrton Lucas for praise, stating that the lateral needed a run of games to showcase his skills. The coach believes that Ayrton Lucas has the potential to excel at the highest level, including for the Brazilian national team.
"u já o elogiei depois do jogo do Vasco. O Ayrton precisava de um jogo sólido, onde ele se sentisse dono da posição, onde controlasse os tempos de ataque e defesa," Filipe Luís commented.
Looking ahead to the return fixture against LDU at the Maracanã, Filipe Luís expects a tough match. He anticipates that LDU will attempt to pressure Flamengo and exploit their mistakes to launch quick counter-attacks.
" LDU está muito adaptada para jogar em casa, mas também sabe jogar fora. Imagino que vai ser um time que vai seguir tentando pressionar, fazer seu jogo que é muito vertical, com muitas mudanças de frente e cruzamentos na área," Filipe Luís predicted.
The draw against LDU has left Flamengo in a relatively strong position in their Libertadores group. Filipe Luís’s side will look to build on this result when they host LDU at the Maracanã in the coming weeks.
The article was originally published on Terra.com.br, which can be found at https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/flamengo/filipe-luis-valoriza-empate-na-altitude-e-fala-da-dificuldade-de-jogar-nessas-condicoes-todos-sentem,31137ea00feebe5fdb7d8a1ae911e945jsqoo5bu.html.
