It would be an exaggeration to say that a club of Palmeiras’ stature has had its history redefined by a single coach, however good and iconic he may be. Still, the Alviverde story now has a clear before and after Abel Ferreira, and nobody can yet say when, or where, the “after” will end.
The most successful era in the club’s history
The Portuguese manager has not changed the size of Palmeiras, but he has turned the club’s ambitions into its most successful period. Under his command, the team is heading into its fourth Libertadores final in six years, and in that stretch the club has collected no fewer than eleven trophies.
The results back up his influence. Before Abel arrived, Palmeiras had reached four Libertadores finals and won one. Since then, they have reached eight finals, a record among Brazilian clubs, and claimed two continental crowns. No one has lifted more silverware in South America than the Portuguese coach in this period, and in his case it has been earned on the pitch.
Two faces of the same team
Palmeiras’ mental strength is often praised, and their competitive spirit is deeply rooted in the club. But the team Abel builds also shows several different faces. Not long ago against Corinthians in the Brazilian league, they dominated completely, controlled the game and created chances at a dizzying rate, a performance of real class. Against Fluminense at the Maracanã the previous week, they relied on their usual defensive efficiency, compacted their shape and proved deadly whenever space opened up.
Where the coach gets it wrong
Abel Ferreira is not infallible, and the semifinal showed that. For much of the match Palmeiras played safely against a brave and well-organised Fluminense side coached by Marcão. However, they created very little and seemed to sit back on their lead far too early. Hércules’ late equaliser looked like a punishment for that approach.
Scars in a long epic
Over six years and four Libertadores finals, a few scratches were always going to appear, since success in South American football never comes without setbacks. What deserves the most praise is Palmeiras’ remarkable consistency in turning potentially disastrous situations around. It is a mindset that runs through the way the team approaches football and shows itself every time they take the field, even if the path sometimes involves a cruel streak of fortune.
The Palmeiras of Abel Ferreira resemble an epic novel that always seems to be halfway through. Now they wait to face the winner of the other semifinal, Flamengo or Estudiantes, in their fourth final, during one of the strongest phases in the club’s recent past, both collectively and individually. The team’s resilience hardly needs describing: this side seems capable of getting through almost anything, starting with its coach.
Quelle: ge.globo.com
