Mazzuco apologizes to Botafogo fans for eliminating Carioca: ‘It doesn’t match what we imagined’

Botafogo’s director of football, André Mazzuco, expressed his regret at the way the team was eliminated from the semifinals of the Campeonato Carioca. At a press conference after the 1-0 loss to Portuguesaat Raulino de Oliveira, the director clarified that there is frustration among everyone involved with the club’s football, including John Textor.

Mazzuco also recognized that the moment is for a lot of reflection after the less-than-expected result in the State Championship.

– It is my duty to be here to first apologize to our fans who have been on this journey since we started. It is a very frustrating moment for us because it is not what we imagined for this Carioca. It’s a feeling of the athletes, board, John’s (Textor) coaching staff… We need to reflect on why it’s not good and we have to keep working to get out of this situation-he said.

The director stressed that it is time for Botafogo to get back to work. Furthermore, he pointed out that the restructuring will require gradual work internally.

– We have to remember that if we had won the classic against Vasco we would practically guarantee the classification for the semifinals and it was a breaking point. There was that episode in the game against Vasco, then against Flamengo and there was the game against Sergipe, but it’s football, it’s a moment when we need to be resilient. It is a moment that everyone needs to work on. Botafogo is a club that is undergoing restructuring and it is not just in football. It’s not just a process in football, it’s in the whole club, but our final process is in football. Make it clear that we are all looking for the necessary solutions, we have some gaps that we need to fill, the club still needs to structure itself, it is a whole process that is in the beginning. We are aware of this and this is an apology. With all due respect to the teams we faced but we should have qualified, yes – he found.

The leader said that he also yearns for reinforcements. However, he stated that Botafogo’s moment is to leave the work solid.

– Some labels and expectations are created for the environment we live in. Some reinforcements came, sometimes they get attached to the number… It is clear that the desire is for six great players to come and it is Botafogo’s objective that this growth be gradual. We are working as much as possible to have a responsibility within the club to balance. It’s no use for us to focus only on reinforcements, the club needs to solidify. It is clear that we need a team to maintain our objectives, last year we had goals, we even ended with a possibility (of Libertadores), and we did not succeed – and he evaluated:

– To be very honest, we went through a year of restructuring. The club is struggling, and John is fully aware of it. You always want the ideal, but when you don’t have it, you look for what you can. But that doesn’t justify it, we have good players, coaching staff… We should have delivered more and looked for better solutions for the club – he completed.

Mazzuco revealed that there is a frequent evaluation of the work of coach Luís Castro and highlighted that there is an attempt to adjust again after the “breaking point” that occurred in the defeat against Vasco.

– We talked a lot about it. That game against Vasco was really a rupture, if we knew the solution, we would have already solved it. We haven’t been performing, we see the team making technical errors that are not normal, we are looking to regain confidence again, we notice that there is apprehension and a heavier climate. It’s a moment we need to be resilient. It’s a constant work assessment, it comes from John, mine, Luís… Football needs to deliver results. The reassessment is always done, and today the club has professionals of the highest level, speaking of Castro himself – and he added:

– Today we know how to evaluate ourselves. When you have a frustration or an unattained goal, you have to reflect on it. Today we are privileged to have great professionals, Castro is a guy of the highest level, and last year we didn’t stop believing. But when you look for solutions and they don’t appear, you reevaluate. Today is not good, let’s reassess and seek solutions. We have reassessments not only from the coach, but from everyone involved. The club’s focus is not just football at the moment, but football needs to deliver – guaranteed.

Mazzuco denied that Alvinegro is currently in debt.

– The club has no debt with the players, everything is up to date, I can tell you categorically – he said.