In Tangier, Brazil had its Panama Day – 03/27/2023 – Sandro Macedo

As soon as the referee blew the whistle and started the friendly match between Morocco and Brazil, in Tangiers, the crowd started shouting, excited, “olé, olé”. In his debut on Canal GB, on YouTube, Galvão Bueno even had his five seconds of indignation: “What a lack of respect”, he said, before making his first uncle joke on the transmission (“Here’s goalkeeper Bono, who is not the Bono Vox”).

Galvão perhaps took a while to understand that it wasn’t a lack of respect. It was a party game (for the locals). As happened with Panama against Argentina, Brazil was just a luxury guest, called to brighten (or not disturb) the night, which belonged to the hosts.

This scribe is not comparing the football presented by the Brazilian team to that of the Panamanian troupe. Panama took a B team to challenge the world champions in Buenos Aires. Panama’s starting lineup would probably lose 3-0 to Palmeiras, or 7-5 to Flamengo (if David Luiz was in the starting lineup; rain of goals and guaranteed offensive participation).

At some point, it looked like the Panamanian defenders would get some bonus if they brought down an Argentinian striker close to the penalty area, so that Messi could take free-kicks until he hit. As that damned Messi was on his feet one day, which is not uncommon, it was fun.

Argentina did not use the Fifa date to test itself, to start the new cycle or to find a worthy sparring partner, aiming at the next challenges. What the team and the fans wanted was to celebrate, to party. And Panama was the delicious cherry, handpicked, on the dulce de leche cake.

Like Panama, the Brazilian team was invited to a party game. It was the chance for Moroccan fans to see their heroes on the field, and at home, for the first time after the Qatar Cup. Fourth place in the World Cup, Morocco just didn’t finish the competition happier than Argentina.

And, like Panama, Brazil did not take its main team, which the Moroccans are grateful for. But this scribe finds it difficult to say what Brazil really took. It wasn’t exactly a B team, nor was it the under-20 team, which will compete in the category’s World Cup —incidentally, perhaps it would be more honest if Professor Ramon used only the under-20 team, it would be an interesting test.

On the Moroccan side, the party was complete. Not bad to beat a team with the pedigree of Brazil (we still have pedigree) and show that the Qatar campaign was not an accident.

From Brazil’s side, the game was practically a waste of Fifa data. You can’t say that the friendly started a cycle; did not start anything. Interestingly, the national team had a confrontation with a strong national team, which was never able to schedule in the times of the late (of the national team) Tite. When he finally got it, he wasted it.

It’s going to be hard to dream about Carlo Ancelotti and wake up with Jorge Jesus or Sampaoli (who is Argentine, but was champion with Chile, so he’s free). Better keep sleeping a little longer.

Inter needs exemplary punishment

After the draw in normal time and subsequent elimination on penalties for Caxias, players and fans of Internacional left for the ultimate fight against athletes from the rival team.

It is no longer enough to punish only the invading fan (who was not just the idiot with a child in his lap) or to fine the players who participated in the aggression or even announce a suspension to be fulfilled in Gauchão-2024.

The CBF, which seems full of good intentions with the new direction, now needs to give an exemplary punishment.

The Beira-Rio stadium must be closed. Players must take strict penalties. What happened in Porto Alegre cannot happen to teams from the floodplains, let alone an elite team in football.

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