João Ricardo breaks silence after Fortaleza’s nightmare exit | OneFootball

João Ricardo has publicly apologised for his costly error during Fortaleza’s Copa do Nordeste quarter-final defeat to Bahia, a moment that directly contributed to the club’s elimination from the competition, according to Globo. The experienced goalkeeper, who has been a regular starter under Juan Pablo Vojvoda and has now reached 152 appearances for Fortaleza, took to social media to express his regret and acknowledge the magnitude of the setback.

Reflecting on the 2-1 defeat that ended Fortaleza’s hopes in the regional tournament, Ricardo stated, “Yesterday was a tough defeat, and I recognise my mistake. However, we hold our heads high, believing we will bounce back. We are sure our supporters will be with us in this battle. Let’s go!” His admission came after he was unable to deal with Bahia’s second goal—a decisive moment that effectively ended Fortaleza’s campaign in the Nordestão.

The result has now narrowed the club’s focus for the rest of the campaign. With the Copa do Nordeste off the calendar, attention turns to their league efforts, where Fortaleza currently sit 18th in the Brasileirão table with 10 points, and to the Copa Libertadores, where they are set to face Vélez Sarsfield in the last sixteen.

The squad has experienced notable turbulence in recent weeks, with key players missing and results falling short of expectations. The defeat to Bahia exposed frailties in the team’s cohesion at critical moments, despite new signing Matheus Pereira making an immediate impact by scoring on his debut during the cup run.

Fortaleza return to action this Sunday with a high-profile Brasileirão clash against city rivals Ceará at the Arena Castelão, a venue which has itself undergone significant upgrades ahead of this fixture. As the club seeks to stabilise results and climb out of the relegation zone, João Ricardo’s response offers a glimpse into the dressing room’s determination to regroup and address recent shortcomings.

Globo was used as an original source for this article.