Grêmio coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has stated that the club could not handle both the Gaúcho and the Copa Libertadores at the start of the season but will now target qualification in the Gaúchão.
Grêmio won their first game of the season but then went on to lose their next three games against Canoas, São Luiz and Internacional but got back to winning ways against Group A leaders São José on Wednesday night.
“Before starting the game, we saw, we read and heard, that we would play against the leader. And we won five and suddenly the league is not parameter,” he told reporters after the game.
“Grêmio was imposed by the planning we did from the beginning and it was to be done this way. Not that it was easy, we played a great game. You make things happen, the team was cohesive, very well, and grew up in the match.”
And Luxemburgo praised the planning of Grêmio to make the Libertadores as he always believed they could recover in the Gaúcho.
“We had two games to go in the Libertadores, not six. When we choose to go to Quito, the idea was not to fall off.
“Things are designed. Some things have to be sacrificed, and we are able to recover the Gaúcho. We had to play on Wednesday and Thursday. Let’s play the Gaúcho, not with excellent performance but seeking classification.”
Grêmio will now rest their first team once again this weekend as they prepare for their first Copa Libertadores group match against Huachipato next Thursday.
Source: Lancenet!
