Léo Ortiz on Flamengo’s tough run: Do I need a rest? | OneFootball

With Danilo's injury, Léo Ortiz and Léo Pereira face 'marathon' at Flamengo

The last game in which Léo Ortiz was not used took place on June 20, against Chelsea (ENG), in the Club World Cup. Since then, the defender has participated in all Flamengo matches. In total, there are 15 consecutive games. Does he need a rest? The number 3 shirt answered about the subject and celebrated a rare gap in the calendar.

— A player always wants to be playing. We work hard to recover, we were having, at some moments, two days to recover. This time it was four days, it seemed like an eternity. I managed to recover for this game (against Vitória). I'm feeling very good, working hard on recovery, because we know that time is short. We only have finals from now until the end of the year, these are games that will require a lot physically. I'm happy because I've been able to maintain the level. Just like Léo (Pereira), who is having this sequence as big as mine. Happy for the return of Danilo, I'm sure it will also relieve a bit. Continue with the level up there —, said Léo Ortiz, in the mixed zone of Maracanã, on Monday (25).

— We know that the younger ones also have the condition to be there. Of course, as Filipe always says, it is always very difficult at some moments to put the boys in, because he knows how much it can burn. This happened to me at the beginning of my career, so, but they work tirelessly to have this opportunity too, they raise our level, right? We see how much they dedicate and work to have this opportunity. So, happy for the sequence and for being physically well, managing to keep myself without injuries —, added the Flamengo defender.

WHAT IS THE NEW MENTALITY AT FLAMENGO?

Against Vitória, even with the 8-0 thrashing, Flamengo remained focused and firm until the last minute. After the match, the Coluna do Fla team asked Léo Ortiz how he manages to stay alert even with the game resolved. In response, the defender told about the new mentality that is being created within the group.

— Since the second, third goal, every moment I spoke. I said, "let's keep without conceding goals", because you know that sometimes a goal there in the first half that you relax a little, changes the game. Of course, after the score got more elastic, sometimes the team tends to relax and ends up suffering a silly goal or something like that —, Léo started.

— So we get very angry when we suffer a silly goal like that. We didn't want to give them that margin. It's a mentality that we are creating in general, to be able to go through games without conceding goals and this is being of extreme importance to us —, he concluded.

ANOTHER LONG PERIOD TO RECOVER?

After four days of rest between the games of Internacional and Vitória, Flamengo of Léo Ortiz will have another 'breather' in the calendar. After all, Flamengo takes the field only on Sunday (31), against Grêmio, at Maracanã, for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.