“You can’t have this percentage of fat”: the day Abel changed Ganso’s direction at Fluminense | fluminense

One of the great coaches in Fluminense’s history, Abel Braga recalled the way he changed Paulo Henrique Ganso’s direction in the Rio team. In an interview, the former Tricolor coach gave details of a private conversation he had with the midfielder in 2022, shortly after learning about Ganso’s fat percentage.

– In 2022, five years would pass in which he was not a starter, did not play. Just criticism, criticism, blow, blow. On my first day of training, I took a piece of paper from the nutritionist and wanted to see the group’s fat percentage. I went straight to it. I spoke to him privately: “You’ve been here all this time, you don’t play, you’re criticized. I don’t believe that’s what makes you happy. You don’t want to leave the club, but you can’t have that fat percentage, because you’re going to spend another year without playing – Abel said to the Mundo GV ​​podcast, adding:

– He said to me: “Professor, give me two weeks.” He started normal pre-season work, in two weeks he had a very good tune-up, he started training very well. I had to use that… No, I didn’t, I used that situation in the group, just to show that it wasn’t just me wanting to do it. They (players) need to understand what they have to do. You have to have help at this moment, because there are a lot of heads. This group was formed, of course it now has Diniz’s hand and face, but it was formed with the great conduct and professionalism of these athletes. I don’t have the slightest doubt about that.

Ganso’s career at Fluminense is one of ups and downs, including his arrival with a celebration in 2019 and his lack of a starting line-up in 2020 and 2021. Two years ago, against Volta Redonda, he was chosen by Abel to start playing; later, against Vasco, he returned to the starting lineup and provided two assists.

Against Olimpia, in the 2022 Libertadores, Ganso did not play in the game that culminated in Fluminense’s elimination. At the end of April, Abel Braga handed over the position and made room for Fernando Diniz – a declared fan of the midfielder, whom he once called a genius – to return to CT Carlos Castilho.

There began a phase with Ganso undisputed among the starters. The player started 2023 on a high, but ended up missing two games in July due to plantar fasciitis (inflammation on the sole of the foot). Afterwards, he suffered a knee injury. Back in the semi-final against Internacional, he did not repeat his good start to the year and inspired different reactions from the fans, including boos and applause.

In 2024, he debuted with the starting team against Bangu, on February 1st. He just didn’t start playing against Madureira – a game close to Recopa, in which assistant Eduardo Barros opted for the reserves – and against Botafogo, spared. Furthermore, Diniz was absent from the second leg of the Carioca semi-final, in which Fluminense was eliminated by Flamengo, due to pain in his right calf.

Ganso is in the physical part of the transition, already with the ball, but it is still doubtful for Fluminense’s debut in the Libertadores. Tricolor returns to the field next Wednesday, April 3, against Alianza Lima. The club travels to Peru on Monday night and will have one last training session in Lima.

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