Cruzeiro: Larcamón praises Evaldo's costume, commenting on the conservatism of the classic film

Cruzeiro's coach, Nicolas Larcamon, did not mince his words when he praised defender Ze Evaldo after the 2-2 draw, in the classic match with Atletico, in the first match of the Mineiro Championship final, at the Arena MRV, on Saturday (30).

Ze Evaldo started on the bench at Larcamon's choice, but came on in the second half and gave new dynamics to Celeste's defensive system, as the team lost 2-0.

Despite the praise, the Cruzeiro coach explained why he left Ze Evaldo on the bench and chose Joao Marcelo, Neres and Villalba in the first line of defense against the arch rival.

“Ze Evaldo, you say he should play, but in the last game he was sent off after 20 minutes. He is an exceptional player. Super quality. But he also needs to improve this aspect.

Evaldo's uniform and cards in 2024

Ze Evaldo missed Cruzeiro in the victory over Tombiense (3-1) in the second leg of the Mineiro semi-final on March 16. The defender received a red card in the first match, which ended in a 0-0 draw with Gavião Carcarara, in Ipatinga, in Ipatinga, on the 10th of this month.

Prior to the red card, Ze Evaldo received a yellow card on that occasion. As a result, the player collected seven cards in eight matches this season. A fact that displeased coach Nicholas Larcamon.

And it wasn't just one time (the expulsion). I know he is doing a lot to improve. He insisted that for me he is an exceptional player. He's the best (defender) I've ever coached. He explained: “But the player needs this consistency in performance, so that what happened against Tombiense does not happen.”

Trainer's explanations

As a reserve against Atletico, Ze Evaldo understood the reasons why he was left on the bench for the first classic final match against their arch-rivals.

The defender commented on how he discovered that he would not be among the starting lineup in the first decisive match against his arch-rival.

“It's been a quiet week. He went through it one player at a time and left it to him to decide today. We have to respect him. He always says it's the one who decides the game who comes in. I'm glad I had the opportunity to come and help my teammates.” Itataia.

Defender numbers

Ze Evaldo has nine appearances for Cruzeiro this season. The defender has already scored two goals this year. In fact, one of the goals the defender scored was at the Arena MRV, in the derby against Atlético, in the first round of the Mineiro tournament. On that occasion, the Celestials won 2-0, the other goal scored by João Pedro.