DOHA, Qatar : Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo face Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday less than three days after clinching their domestic league title as they aim to become the first Brazilian side to win the tournament in 12 years and the first to earn the treble since Pele’s Santos over 60 years ago.
Botafogo beat Sao Paulo 2-1 on Sunday to clinch the Brazilian league and become only the third team in the country to grab the national and continental titles in the same season.
Despite exhaustion from a 17-hour flight and a hectic schedule, Portuguese manager Artur Jorge believes his team’s ambition will overcome their weariness.
“There can be no greater fatigue than ambition,” Jorge said at a press conference at Doha’s 974 Stadium on Tuesday.
“It’s a big challenge given our ambitions. We had very little time between competitions. It’s extremely difficult to finish the Brazilian championship on Sunday night, to win the title, to celebrate in front of our fans for a couple of hours, and go straight to the airport to make a long journey that, with the time zone, lasted almost 24 hours.
“We’ve had only a day here to rest and adapt, but the attitude and mentality of this team is off the charts.”
Ten days after beating Atletico Mineiro 3-1 in Buenos Aires to win their first Copa Libertadores title, Botafogo will face Pachuca on the back of eight games in a little over a month.
CONCACAF champions Pachuca have not played a competitive match for 31 days, following their elimination from Mexico’s Apertura competition.
Coach Jorge said he was sorry his players had barely had a chance to celebrate both titles but urged them to channel their frustration over the relentless calendar on the pitch by playing the aggressive, attacking football that earned them their double.
“(Pachuca) have been here for a week preparing for this game but I’m not worried about a level playing field. This is our reality and I trust in my player’s ambition and determination to overcome it all, that’s our mentality for this tournament,” Jorge said.
“We will not shy away from what brought us here and will be faithful to our style and convictions, which is playing like we always did. I hope we can be as competitive as we have been this season.
“My advice to the players has been to celebrate and celebrate a lot, but on the pitch, where they’re happiest, where they like to be. Right now it’s the best place to celebrate what they’ve achieved so far, and to show that joy that’s inside all of us. There’s no better way to celebrate than being on the pitch and winning games. That’s champion behaviour and they are champions.”
The winner of Wednesday’s match will face Egypt’s Al-Ahly on Saturday for the chance to play Champions League winners Real Madrid in the final next week.
