Shirt 12 did not play as left back against Cruzeiro
The most talented name in the Fluminense squad, Marcelo has stood out in recent years playing as a left-back for Real Madrid and becoming one of the main players in his role. However, Fernando Diniz decided to place the number 12 in midfield in the match against Cruzeiro.
Without the same physical vigor as before, but with more experience in football and knowing where to position himself on the pitch, Marcelo has shown that he can be very useful to his team which plays in a more advanced sector. In the duel against Raposa, his introduction improved the team on the pitch, as well as enlightening the fans in the stands.
At several points during the season, the Guerreiros team was subject to questions about the intensity of its midfield, especially in matches where Paulo Henrique Ganso was uninspired. There was no shortage of things on Wednesday evening (20th) with the arrival of the star.
With just over 20 minutes on the pitch, Marcelo finished once from the baseline, created a clear scoring opportunity for Samuel Xavier, completed 17 passes (a higher number than teammates who played longer , such as Keno, John Kennedy and Germán Cano), as well as having contributed long balls, such as throws and game changes.
The number 12 gave dynamism, made the team flow and proved to be an option, as coach Fernando Diniz himself said in the press conference, for the sector. Not to mention the two goals since he returned to Fluminense against Flamengo and Vasco in moments when he was closer to the opponent’s area and, interestingly, on the right wing.
– It’s an option, but it’s not its original position. He could migrate at some point, possibly play in a match or during the match in which we use him in that position. Marcelo is a technically above average player, extremely talented, one of the greatest we have seen in the last 15 years of world football. He is finding himself more and more at Fluminense, he is happy, he always helps the boys. And it is always a pleasure to be able to see Marcelo play – said the coach of the 35-year-old athlete.
One of Tricolor’s biggest successes this season was the signing of Diogo Barbosa, who played well at left back. With the trust of the coach and the fans, the player manages to “free” Marcelo to exploit his technique in attack, which has always been his strong point even when he played on the left wing.
Although little tested in the centre, the number 12 showed more and more signs of his contribution by acting closer to goal. It remains to be seen whether Fernando Diniz will continue to give the athlete chances in a “new role” or whether what we saw against Cruzeiro was something sporadic due to the persistent 0-0 on the scoreboard and given the team’s lack of creativity. especially at the beginning of the second phase.
Despite being the subject of provocation from rival fans last weekend for a dribble suffered in a challenge against Rossi, who crossed to the head of Praxedes to open the scoring for Vasco, Marcelo has also contributed a lot in his role original. A player of his quality in Brazilian football can choose where to play. But a reinvention would be good. And perhaps the Tricolore fans want to see more of him in the next matches.
Source: Terra
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