With the focus entirely on European champions Liverpool, Flamengo arrive at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar determined to play spoilsport. The Copa Libertadores champions are in red-hot form, with their 30-match unbeaten streak ending only last week. By then, though, the Flamengo had already wrapped up the Brazilian league title by a whopping 16 points.
While the Club World Cup may not evoke much enthusiasm in other parts of the world, but in South America it is an obsession. And Flamengo will be keen to repeat their historic achievement of 1981, when they beat Liverpool 3-0 to claim the old Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo. With the Anfield club representing Europe again, a rematch is on the cards.
But before that, though, Flamengo will have to clear the Al Hilal hurdle, with the Asian champions aiming to spring a surprise of their own when the two sides clash in the first semi-final at the Khalifa International Stadium today.
On the eve of the match, Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus was bombarded with questions about Liverpool, who are slated to play the second semi-final against Mexican side Monterrey tomorrow. While Jesus played down the hype, choosing to focus on Hilal, whom he coached until January this year, the palpable excitement surrounding a possible Flamengo-Liverpool clash is justified. Here is why.
Jesus – who coached Al Hilal until January this year – has overseen a wonderful few months for Flamengo since being appointed in June, guiding them to success in the Brasil Serie A and Copa Libertadores, adding to their Campeonato Carioca success prior to the Portuguese manager’s arrival.
Flamengo’s qualification to Club World Cup Qatar was nothing but spectacular. Jesus’ outfit trailed River Plate in last month’s Copa Libertadores final for 75 minutes but, as the final whistle and defeat loomed, Gabriel Barbosa struck twice to snatch the glory in Peru.
“In Brazil, there has been a lot of talk at Liverpool, but they forgot that we have to play a semi-final before,” Jesus said, urging his team not take his former team lightly. “It is a Saudi team, which is not well known and there is always a tendency to devalue. But it is a team I know well. I am very proud of my period with Al Hilal and recruited three or four players for them. They are a good side and we respect them but I am obviously focused on my job at Flamengo where I am honoured to be the coach,” the 65-year-old said.
Jesus admitted there is a huge pressure on his players but he was confident that the quality and experience his team has can bail them out. Flamengo play with an average home attendance of over 60,000 and have players such as full backs Rafinha, who had eight successful years at Bayern Munich, and Felipe Luis, who equally had a successful time at Atletico Madrid.
“At Flamengo there is always pressure. It is a club that demands the most. It’s a year of pressure, but a lot of satisfaction. We have a great joy of playing, providing a good show and try to win. Success leads teams to have moments of great pressure. Who doesn’t want to put pressure on success? I want to live my whole life like this,” Jesus said philosophically.
Meanwhile, Hilal will head into today’s clash in strong form having won each of their past five matches across all competitions, including Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis.
Romanian Razvan Lucescu, who replaced Jesus at Hilal, wasn’t too impressed with questions on his predecessor’s time at the Saudi club and said Jesus’ knowledge of his former players would count for nothing. “I don’t think it comes into it. It is eleven against eleven. This game is all about how you react in certain moments, the decisions you make,” said Lucescu.
Hilal coach, however, was aware of Flamengo’s quality but had belief that his players would rise to the occasion.
“Brazil produce the biggest number of talented players, but football is not just about talent. It’s also about organisation, movement, interpretation of the game and how a team or the players perform on a given day. But we have our huge motivation. We are on top of our game after ending 19 years of wait of our fans by winning the AFC Champions League. We will play with enthusiasm and confidence knowing that we are facing one of the best teams in the world. We are in a very good psychological moment,” Lucescu added.
Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus (left) address a press conference on the eve of their FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Al Hilal in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil
