Dorival Júnior and Lucas Moura celebrate São Paulo title – 09/24/2023 – Sports

Dorival Júnior is once again champion of the Copa do Brasil. Winner of the tournament with Flamengo last year, he was discarded by the club despite the title and the even more relevant victory of the Copa Libertadores. In his own way, discreet, calm, the now winner for São Paulo left his message to the team that dismissed him.

“It is a result that represents the work and dedication of an entire group. It would be a great sin if São Paulo did not come away with this result, due to all the processes respected, due to the entire environment generated”, stated the coach, with emphasis on the “respected processes” and the “generated environment”.

That was all that was missing from Flamengo, who failed in the idea of ​​replacing the champion coach with the Portuguese Vítor Pereira, defeated in all the championships he played in red and black. Argentine Jorge Sampaoli replaced him and had very different results. It even came close, in the Copa do Brasil, but Dorival’s work prevailed.

“We deserved it. We had a great first game. And, in a decision between two great teams, I believe that [tenha prevalecido] one who understood the processes. What we prepared for this decision! I’m honest, it’s never happened to any team. Board, fans, athletes, coaching staff… It was a huge job,” he added.

The coach, finally, valued the triumph against “one of the best South American teams, if not the best”. “I was on the other side until the other day, with these players. I know the capacity the group has.”

This capacity was not enough against a São Paulo team that left the Maracanã, in the first game, with a one-goal advantage. The tricolor team came from behind at Morumbi, but quickly sought a draw, enough to celebrate the title.

It was the second trophy lifted by Lucas Moura on the team. Important in winning the Copa Sudamericana in 2012, he left to build a career in Europe. He returned recently, in time to be decisive in the semi-final clash with arch-rivals Corinthians, and lift a more significant trophy.

“I’ve never experienced what I experienced today. Nothing compares, not even in the clubs I played for in Europe. Nothing compares to what I experienced today at Morumbi. Winning a title with the São Paulo shirt is special, being in this group is special. It’s a different, fantastic group of great players and great people too. Just gratitude,” he said.

The player has no doubt that the triumph achieved in 2023 is more important than the one achieved 11 years earlier. Not just because the Copa do Brasil is a more relevant tournament than the Copa Sudamericana. But because the lack of fans, after years without relevant national results, grew.

“It’s very different. In that situation, São Paulo was coming off a very successful decade in the 2000s. In 2012, it was a shorter time without achievements. And the Copa do Brasil was a competition much desired by the fans, by the club. Any player, experienced or not, if I wasn’t anxious today, I was dead inside, there’s no way. I was anxious all week, it was different. The competition was different, the fans deserve it”, he stated.

The competition is different. And Lucas is different from the 20-year-old boy who lifted the trophy with Rogério Ceni more than a decade ago.

“I’m living a dream, literally. For everything that involved my return, the mobilization of fans on social media, even some players sending messages to me. I’m living a dream. São Paulo is a feeling, it’s in my skin, I was trained in club, I joined when I was 17. Now I’m 31, bald and with two kids, putting up with kids making fun of me”, he laughed. “But too happy.”

Luciano was also happy, who, for tactical reasons, was a substitute in the two decisive matches. Still, he praised Dorival and, by extension, the rival’s managers.

“I would like to thank the Flamengo board for sending Dorival away”, he smiled. “He’s a big daddy for the whole world. When he was about to define the team, we got together and said there would be no vanity. We emerged champions.”