ESPN.com.brReading: 3 min.
The last round of the group stage of the Paulista championship will be decisive for the São Paulo. Occupying the leadership of B with 20 points, tied with holy waterwho is the deputy leader, the São Paulo Tricolor will know if he will have the field command advantage in the quarterfinals only after the game against Botafogo-SPnext Sunday (5), at 4 pm (Brasília time), at the rival’s house.
If it confirms the leadership of the group, São Paulo will have the advantage of being the leader in the knockout stage, but it still does not know where it will play, since Morumbi will be unavailable due to a series of shows at the stadium, between the 10th and March 18.
After the defeat to São Bernardo, this Saturday (25), by 1 to 0coach Rogério Ceni was asked about which stadium São Paulo will play in the quarterfinals, if he confirms the leadership of the group, and mentioned some venues where his team could play, including rival Allianz Parque palm treesas there is an agreement between the two clubs to do so.
“Of course we would like to play here (at Morumbi), now, the shows have been scheduled for a long time, we already knew about the commitment, the club has to try to make the billing it needs to always try to put things up to date for the athletes, for all employees, everyone. It is not what we would like in case of having an advantage (in the field command), but it is something known, programmed, but we are not sure yet. First, we have to end the round, on Sunday, to see if we qualify first and if we have that right to control the field and make a choice. Do you want to play for Morumbi? Of course I would. For the pitch, the conditions, the fans, the presence of the public, although if you analyze it for today, success is not guaranteed. But we prefer to play here because the vast majority of games we end up winning. But if it’s not here, and we get first place, let’s try together with the direction, choose a good grass, probably in a smaller stadium capacity, where fewer fans will be present. But first, we have to try to beat Botafogo-SP, to guarantee that advantage in the quarterfinals”, he said, during a press conference.
Regarding Allianz Parque, Ceni admitted that, if the stadium is chosen by São Paulo to host the quarterfinal match, the preparation will be different, since the pitch of the Alviverde home is synthetic. The coach from São Paulo also mentioned other places close to the capital, such as Vila Belmiro, from Santos.
“It’s a different preparation (to play at Allianz). I think the agreement, I don’t know exactly, but it even provided for adaptive training for the game, the day before the game. In case this game happens at Allianz Parque, within the lawns that we have here, there is the Vila Belmiro lawn, in theory it is a good lawn, I don’t know the conditions in Barueri at the moment, and there is this agreement, which I don’t know how it is done, for what stage it is, but within the possibilities presented, we are going to choose the best pitch possible. If one of the possibilities is to play for Allianz, we are going to study and analyze to make a good choice”, he concluded.
Calleri’s situation
Substituted at the end of the first half of the match against São Bernardo, striker Jonathan Calleri reported pain in his ankle and asked to leave the pitch. In his place, Ceni put Pedrinho on the field.
During the conference, the coach lamented the problem suffered by the Argentine and updated his medical situation.
“He asked to leave at the end of the first half, he spoke of the ankle that he has been treating for some time. Only with an exam tomorrow or Monday to pass on some information. We pushed Galoppo into the role, but we miss Calleri”, he concluded.
