Abel Ferreira was crowned Brazilian champions by Palmeiras on Tuesday just before his team took the field, taking advantage of Internacional’s defeat. Hours later, the São Paulo club received and beat Fortaleza in a stadium already celebrated. It was at the end of the match that Abel made the first statements, between praising the players and messaging those who criticized him.
“The feeling is of great gratitude and pride for everything these players have done. Our self-esteem is so great that we have room for those who like us and for those who don’t. But those who don’t will have to swallow anyway, because the numbers are there. There is no denying what this team is doing. And against the facts, there are no opinions that hurt us, because in our hearts we all fit, those who want and those who who don’t.” , said the Portuguese coach .
For Abel it was truly “a year to remember”. “We are not looking for records, but we have had an extraordinary campaign in Libertadores, scoring goals, conceding, a very competitive team. It is a team that does not play beautifully, but plays well. become champions and together we have achieved it .” this achievement in a creditable, pure, categorical manner. Only those who act in bad faith do not recognize the quality and capacity of the squad,” he continued.
The coach emphasized that Palmeiras was a champion in all honesty and recalled that he did not go to Brazil “to spend holidays”: “I came to work, to join the best and win with the best, that is what we did gratitude and great pride to be the coach of this club i said this group was made to make history i don’t know if there is a team in brazil that has won so much and this group will always be looking for more. It’s a great pride to be part of this group.”
At the press conference, a journalist questioned the Portuguese coach about the fact that his first title was in the service of the Brazilian emblem. Abel said it wasn’t. “I have to correct him because the first time I became champion as a coach was not here. It was at Sporting, I was junior champion. That was my first championship. I know some of you didn’t know me, but today I know,” he snapped.
Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira led Palmeiras to their eleventh title of Brazilian football champion, equaling the feat that compatriot Jorge Jesus achieved at Flamengo three years ago.
São Paulo’s emblem became national champion four years later, succeeding Atlético Mineiro, with 74 points, against Internacional’s 64. Third is Flamengo, who won the Libertadores Cup on Saturday.
Abel Ferreira, 43, won his sixth title with Palmeiras, in a year in which he had already won a South American Super Cup and a São Paulo State Championship, after two editions of the Libertadores Cup (2020 and 2021) and a Brazilian Cup (2020).
The former defender, who has been in charge of the ‘verdão’ for two years, is the third Portuguese coach to become national champion in South America, alongside Jorge Jesus, triumphant with Flamengo (2019), and Renato Paiva, in the service of the Ecuadorians of Independiente del Valle (2021).
Phone calls from Marcelo and Fernando Gomes
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa congratulated Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira on the title of champion in the service of Palmeiras.
“The president of the republic tonight congratulated Abel Ferreira by phone, the Portuguese coach of Palmeiras who has just won the Brasileirão, the football championship in Brazil,” the presidency of the republic said in a statement.
The president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) also thanked coach Abel Ferreira for “the honor he once again bestowed on Portuguese football” when he became champion of Brazil with Palmeiras.
“I would like to congratulate and thank Abel Ferreira for the honor he once again offered to Portuguese football when he was crowned, in the service of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, champion of Brazil. To win the maximum trophy in a country that already has five world titles speaks highly of his ability to distinguish himself, his dedication to football and his professional excellence,” Fernando Gomes said in a statement published on the FPF website.
In the same text, Fernando Gomes believes that Abel Ferreira “by honoring himself and all the Portuguese coaches who work with him, indelibly honors the coaching profession, Portuguese football and his country”.
“For your achievements, for your competence and for your own personality – integral, passionate and frontal – I send you, in my personal name and that of the FPF, my heartfelt thanks!” wrote Fernando Gomes, who also had the opportunity to to personally congratulate Abel Ferreira on a phone call to Brazil.
Source: DN
