Cruzeiro botafogo

REUTERS: Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo were relegated to Brazil's Serie B for the second time in six seasons on Friday after a 1-0 home defeat to Sport. The club, once home to Brazilian greats Garrincha, Didi, Carlos Alberto and Jairzinho, have won only four of 34 games since the season began in August. Friday’s defeat left them bottom of the table with four games to go and no chance of escaping relegation. Big-name signings Keisuke Honda of Japan and Ivory Coast’s Salomon Kalou have not lived up to expectations while the club have had three coaches take charge of the team. Another, Argentine Ramon Diaz, was hired and fired without even coaching a game. Huge debts have also led to difficulties behind the scenes. “It’s difficult to say what feeling predominates, that of sadness or rage,” sports columnist Juca Kfouri wrote after the latest defeat. “The worst thing is the lack of perspective, of seeing no light at the end of the tunnel.” Botafogo were relegated in … [Read more...] about Rio club Botafogo relegated after yet another defeat

SAO PAULO: Botafogo got their first point in Brazil's Serie A since before Christmas in a 1-1 draw with an under-strength Palmeiras on Tuesday. Palmeiras, who travel to Qatar for the Club World Cup immediately after the game, fielded a second string team but went ahead after 16 minutes through Emerson. However, Rafael Navarro equalised for the visitors on the hour mark. The draw was Botafogo's first point since beating Coritiba on Dec. 20 and does little to improve their position at the bottom of the standings. The Rio side are four points adrift of second bottom Coritiba with five games remaining and almost guaranteed to drop to the second division. Palmeiras, who won the Copa Libertadores on Saturday, are sixth. … [Read more...] about Football: Botafogo get rare point in 1-1 draw at Palmeiras

LONDON: Former Brazil and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has left Cruzeiro by mutual consent after a brief three months in charge during which he saved the Serie B club from the threat of a second consecutive relegation. Scolari, who also coached Chelsea, Gremio and Palmeiras, took over at the troubled side in October last year when they were 19th in the 20-team league, with just 12 points from 15 games. His arrival on a two-year contract prompted an uptick in the fortunes of the Belo Horizonte giants. They currently sit 12th in Serie B, safe from relegation but with no chance of being automatically promoted back to the top tier. His record during 21 games in charge was nine wins, eight draws and four defeats. “Collaborating with the club during the most challenging moment in its history, Scolari and his staff fulfilled the important recovery mission,” Cruzeiro said in a statement. Scolari is most famous for guiding Brazil to the World Cup in 2002. … [Read more...] about Football: Scolari leaves Cruzeiro after brief second spell

SAO PAULO: Botafogo said on Wednesday they have fined players who had "not shown commitment" to the club as it battles to avoid a second relegation in seven seasons from Brazil's Serie A. Botafogo have lost 10 of their last 11 matches and are second from bottom in the 20-team table. The bottom four sides will be relegated and Botafogo are nine points from safety. Durcesio Mello, who was sworn in as president of the Rio de Janeiro club on Jan. 4, did not say what criteria was used to levy the undisclosed fines, nor which players were sanctioned. "It is important to make clear that we are not satisfied with results," Mello wrote in an open letter to fans. "Administrative punishments (fines) were levelled on players who we believe have not shown commitment to Botafogo and their own team mates. "We cannot allow the club to be so exposed to this critical situation without solid signs of a reversal. We have to make firm demands." (Reporting by Andrew Downie in London; … [Read more...] about Struggling Botafogo fine players for lack of commitment

REUTERS: Struggling Brazil side Botafogo fired their manager Ramon Diaz on Friday, three weeks after he was appointed and without ever coaching the club in a match. The Argentine was introduced to the media on Nov. 10 but returned south for a previously scheduled hospital appointment and has not yet returned. He communicated with his backroom staff from a distance but after three 2-1 losses in three games the Rio club sacked him. "Unfortunately, because of the coach's health problems and his discharge scheduled for Dec. 7, the club has decided that it cannot wait any longer," Botafogo said in a statement. Botafogo sit second bottom of Brazil's 20-team Serie A. They appointed Eduardo Barroca to replace Diaz. He is their fifth coach since the season restarted in June after a three-month hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Christian Radnedge) … [Read more...] about Botafogo fire Diaz after three weeks and no games in charge