...meanwhile, in Brazil
Posted by Gringo Maclure in Brasil Serie A, Brazil, EURO 2008 | 8 June 2008
If you're actually not that fussed about Euro 2008 (see Martin's last post) because the thought of England missing Europe's premier tournament of nations is much the same as the thought of tea without the sugar, or the milk or even the tea, then may I suggest you cast an eye across the Atlantic to Brazil where there's plenty going on for the discerning football connesieur.
Where I live, in Brazil, I'm sure Euro 2008 will be followed by the avid football fan, but for a lot of my mates its fallen off their radar now that the CL has finished and with it any chance of seeing Brazilians play competitive football in Europe for a few more months. But, why watch Euro 2008 when there's plenty else going on here? So here are 5 good reasons to keep your eye on the South America leagues in the next few days...
1. Venezuela 2-0 Brazil. Nike can't have been happy about seeing their golden boys putting in a limp display to suffer an abysmal defeat in Boston at the hands of minnows Venezuela. Venezuela are no pushovers, it's true, but they should be when you're Brazil. Dunga's tenure as coach in jeopardy? Brazil to stumble against Paraguay and Argentina in their next two mid-June WC qualifiers?
2. Fluminense in the final of the Libertadores. Fluminense from Rio overturned the Libertadores holders' Boca Juniors (featuring Riquelme) 3-1 at the Maracana last week to book a place in the final against unknown quantity LDU from Ecuador. It's a shock conclusion to the South American Champions League equivelent as neither a big Brazilian or Argentinian side have made it to this year's final. Fluminense are pumping all their efforts and best players into the Libertadores and so, having neglected everything else, lie bottom of the Brazilian Serie A after half a dozen games. Will they win the cup? Will they avoid relegation?
3. Corinthians, relegated last season, play Sport FC for the Copa Brasil. The Brazil FA Cup final equivelent looks a bit like the English one - featuring a team outside the top flight (Corinthians) against a middling Series A team short of honours (Sport FC). The latter are trying to be the first northeast team to win the competition ever! Corinthians, bouncing back from their humiliating relegation to Series B, lead 3-1 after the first leg of the two-legged final. The odds are against Sport as no team has ever come back from 2 goals down to overturn the final. Can they do it on home soil next week?
4. Nautico 3 Botafogo 0. Ridiculous confusion at a recent Series A game. You don't need to understand Portuguese to see that this all went a bit pear-shaped. Click here to see video. In short, B player sent off, kicks bottle into crowd and makes gestures to home fans. Police try to arrest him and escort him from the field. The door they try to leave by is locked resulting in mayhem on the pitch. The B Director comes down from his box and throws a few punches. He is arrested, as is the player. The dispute takes on regional significance as Botafogo (from Rio) complain that northeastern team Nautico's authorities are poorly trained and backward. Will the score stand or will the game be replayed? Will the arrested gentlemen turn up for their court hearings?
5. Alocohol banned at games. The drinks and snacks vendors are a highlight of any match here in Brazil. With consumate efficiency the small army of salesmen and women scale the stands bringing only the finest cashew nuts, churros, popcorn and booze direct to your seat. But, in the interest of discouraging drink driving to and from games, alcohol cannot be sold inside football grounds as of this season the CBF has ordered. One possible side effect is that gate reciepts for unimportant games will decrease as fans prefer to have a drink in a bar with friends watching the game on a big screen than pay money to stay on the wagon for the 90 minutes. Will the ban be enforced? Will fans put up with it? What will happen to the thousands of unemployed beer vendors?
Watch this space for answers...
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