Ceni approves Bahia’s performance despite the defeat: ‘we played a great match’

Source: Felipe Oliveira / EC Bahia

Bahia lost 1-0 to Grêmio on Saturday night (4) and remained at 37 points, waiting for the round to progress to find out their position after the weekend’s games.

The defeat by the minimum score comes in a game in which Bahia finished twice as many times as their opponent, even away from home, but saw the home team be efficient in putting the ball in the back of the net.

But, before the ball rolled, what caught the fans’ attention was the lineup without Biel and Acevedo. Coach Rogério Ceni explained that the initial attempt was to line up the team with a line of three defenders, with Rezende in the defense line.

“Vitor Hugo felt unwell today and the doctor reported that he would not be able to participate in the match. We already had a game plan made and we continued with David Duarte in the middle of three defenders, which was the way we imagined Grêmio would come, as well as the exchanges planned during halftime of the game that he would make”.

Despite the negative score, Ceni leaves the match happy with Bahia’s offensive production, which, in his opinion, controlled the game in the Grêmio arena.

“About the formation, we thought this was the best formation to face Grêmio. Using practically all players. And I think the choice was right, the system was right. And we produce a lot. It was, for me, the best game of the ten games I saw this team play, build, away from home, without pressure, they played controlling the game.

Just as Everaldo said when leaving the pitch, the Tricolor coach was yet another to state that the result does not match what was presented by the teams on the field.

“In the first half we lacked a little more belief that it was possible to win and in the second half we believed, but we failed. The referee failed first, but this was already included, we had already explained how it was going to be and we, due to his failure, did not react well to the move that led to the goal, but overall it was a good team match, I think the result really wasn’t It’s consistent with how the game progressed in general.”

Bahia’s tactical changes

In addition to the change in the starting lineup, Ceni also detailed his tactical strategy thinking about the opponent and how he tried to change the panorama within the game.

“Biel on the bench today, with Acevedo, was supposed to give that consistency, exploit Grêmio’s flaws, especially in the midfield and with that in mind, the objective was achieved, the result just didn’t come. But the result is quite the game, right?! It says a lot. We’ve played bad games before, but we managed to win. Today we played a better game and didn’t get the result. But we managed to involve, I think Grêmio, even in the second half change, removing a defender, first we took a risk thinking that Grêmio had three defenders. And then I also imagined that because the first half was so dominant from us, I thought he would take out one of the defenders and that’s what he did, we just lowered Cauly a little to take the steering wheel to have equality in midfield”.

What was needed to win the game?

And I think we had a great opportunity to leave here victorious. I think we have to give… they have to believe in themselves more and more within a game. Sometimes we go out to play and because it’s a team as traditional as Bahia or a team like Soares, as you said about prestige and sometimes we stop believing that it’s possible and today it was completely possible. I chose the best formation I had today because I saw that it was completely possible to win today’s game. I think the numbers say what I’m talking about. We made a small mistake, but as a group, as a game, I cannot deny here that we had a great match. Now the result doesn’t come, it just stays in statistics, the big game and it doesn’t affect the league table which was important for us today.

Suárez in Brazilian football

“I think he is a special player, without a doubt. He is a player who has leadership on the field. Normally when he shouts the judge pays attention, he usually pays attention to the charges. And that leadership is part of the game, right? And he is a different player, an extra-world-class player. I think Grêmio is happy to have a player like this, and the fans are happy to see a player at this level still playing. He scored the goal, which was decisive, but the origin of the first goal is completely wrong, it wasn’t a foul. What we weren’t prepared for was that we lowered our heads and didn’t pay a little more attention to the play and the movements. He scores the goal, but for those who can watch it, without a doubt, it is a privilege, he is a different player”.