A few years ago, when Diego, Robinho and Kaka were among the three most promising young players in Brazil, the Placar football magazine published a dossier for each of them with the following summary: Kaka is a pop star, Robinho is a circus performer, and Diego is simply top class. Then, many agreed that all three are exceptional talents and personalities, but Diego is the most promising football player.
In fact, everything turned out differently. Kaka drove off to Italy and soon became the leading player of Milan, and then the Brazilian national team. After two championship titles in Santos, Robinho went to look for happiness in Real Madrid, but only now he began to show the game that captivated the hearts of fans in his homeland. But Diego, once in the “Port”, could not even solve the problem of getting into the main team.
However, now the shares of the 21-year-old dispatcher are again highly quoted: after two sickening seasons spent in the Pyrenees, his business is going uphill in the Bremen. In Bremen, Diego has already managed to win the title of the best player in August in the Bundesliga and make his debut in the updated Brazilian national team led by Dunga.
And on Wednesday, Verderdon, who is called Diego, who does not have outstanding physical data in Germany for his resemblance to the great Maradona, masterfully conducted the “Bremen Town Musicians” in a duel with Chelsea. This was the first victory of the “Bremen” over the English team in the Champions League. He still doesn’t feel as happy as in Brazil when he and Robinho played the ball in the best Santos since Pele, but undoubtedly enjoys the game again. “I do not like to compare, but in Bremen I am happy both on the field and beyond. Here everyone is glad to see me, and this facilitates the adaptation process, ”Diego shares his impressions. In 13 matches of the Bundesliga championship he scored six goals and handed out nine assists.
Werder, who had already forgotten about Mick’s summer loss, had to take a step to present the main surprise in the current Champions League, although in the confrontation with Chelsea, Barcelona and Levski they were told bronze. But the Germans successfully prove to the Catalans and Londoners that not everyone decides money in football, and at the moment they are in second place in Group A, going on a par with Chelsea and two points ahead of Barcelona. And even a possible draw with the “aristocrats” would not have crossed out the chances of the Bremen before the decisive duel at Camp Nou.
Diego considers the victory over Chelsea logical, and blames the failure in London for bad luck and sees no reason that could prevent his team from reaching the playoffs of the most prestigious European club competition for the third time in a row. “We are already used to this tournament. We have a great team, an excellent coach and a smart sports director (Klaus Allofs). We had to beat Barca because we played better, but unfortunately we conceded a goal in the end of the match. ”
In the Champions League, Werder Bremen has not known defeat at Weserstadion for six matches, and has scored six unanswered goals in the previous three victories (with Levski and Chelsea). “We played at Chelsea at home, and this is already an advantage, given the fact that we are always well supported by the fans. Both teams showed high class, but the one that made fewer mistakes won. ”
To guarantee itself the first place in the group, Chelsea was enough to take away a draw from Germany. But now the position of Londoners is strong. Even if the “Bremen” or “Barca” are equal to the “aristocrats” in the number of points scored, then the score of personal meetings is not in their favor.
Be that as it may, Thomas Schaaf again dreams of a champions spring and, releasing Diego on the field, he dreams not in vain. After the hedgehogs of Ko Adrians, reaching the 1/8 finals would have been a balm for the Brazilian. And at the same time, the Placar prediction would begin to come true. Which may have been true.
Translation by Andrey KARNAUKHOV