“Does he win because he has a wallet? As all teams at City’s level have it, but the one who wins is Pep. He has the seal. He is the best because he always goes ahead of what his rival does to you. “He understands the game like no one else.” The devotion of Gaby Milito, current Atlético Mineiro coach, to Pep Guardiola’s football comes from his time in Barcelona. Both coincided in the team that won two Champions Leagues in 2009 and 2011, three leagues and a club World Cup. That experience marked the Argentine, who this Saturday will fight for his first Copa Libertadores against Botafogo.
They call him the South American Pep in Argentina because the concepts he works on in his teams try to resemble those of the Santpedor coach. Like his Atlético Mineiro, which is led on the pitch by the veteran Hulk, and which stands out for its offensive proposal by seeking to be a protagonist with the ball and constant high pressing. Maxims of Guardiola’s football ideology along with positional play.
The Botafogo of the Portuguese Artur Jorge, arrives as leader of the Brazilian Serie A and as the top favorite
This very defined style of play has been decisive for Galo (as Atlético Mineiro is known) to eliminate renowned rivals such as River Plate in the semifinals, the current champion Fluminense in the quarterfinals and San Lorenzo in the round of 16. Now, in the grand final they face the most fearsome rival, the Botafogo of the Portuguese Artur Jorge, who arrives as the leader of the Brazilian Serie A and, therefore, as the top favorite.
Milito landed in Brazil after starting his career as a coach in Argentina, where he served on the benches of Independiente, Estudiantes de la Plata and Argentinos Juniors. After two and a half years with the latter, he decided to take a break and stopped training. Despite having offers, it was not until Atlético Mineiro arrived that he decided to return to training. With Galo he won his first title in the Mineiro state championship against Cruzeiro. This is not his first adventure as a coach away from his country, since he had a brief stint in Chile in the 2017/18 season.
Milito will look for a victory that will raise the spirits of the team led by Hulk, Deyverson or Battaglia
After losing the final of this edition of the Brazilian Cup against Flamengo, Milito will look for a victory that will raise the spirits of the team led by Hulk, Deyverson or Battaglia and allow him to dream of a European bench.
They will face a Botafogo team that is playing its first Libertadores final. Led by the Portuguese Artur Jorge, and with players of the caliber of Luiz Henrique, formerly of Betis, Thiago Almada and Alex Telles, the Cariocas want to be the twelfth Brazilian team to lift the trophy. What is certain is that they will extend the Canarinho dominance, having won the last five and six of the last seven.
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