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Alexandre Pato doing his exams
on arrival in Corinthians; attacker
You'll have a "marathon"
Image Credit:
Daniel Augusto Jr./Ag. Corinthians
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The sequence of injuries shook Alexander's career Duck In recent years, but he must have in 2013 his greatest test of fire. Without achieving a big sequel in the recent days of Milan, the attacker arrives at the Corinthians with the mission of overcoming the one that promises to be, due to the tumultuous Brazilian calendar, the longest season of his career.
‘[The adaptation] is a problem, yes. We know that those who come from outside feel the difference, and we have worked well to contain it, doing a multidisciplinary work. He'll have to adapt. He'll have a specific program. If there is no injury he will play more’, explained Julio Stancati, doctor of Corinthians, to UOL Sport.
Since he appeared for football, just over five years ago, Alexandre Pato has never played more than 43 games in a year. The striker's record was in the 2008/2009 season, adding all the matches he made for Milan and the Brazilian team in the period.
In the following years, the marks were not so good. It was 35 in 2009/2010, 41 in 2010/2011 and 26 in 2011/2012, the last full season of Duck in Europe. In all cases, the numbers are driven by participations in the Brazilian team, which used Duck in the Copa América and the Olympic Games, recently.
The low numbers are easily explained. Only in the last two years were 15 different injuries and a long period in the medical department. The complicated history was one of the concerns of Corinthians, which was based on the evaluation of several professionals to pay about R$ 40 million per Duck in December, the most expensive hire in the history of Brazilian football.
But if the attacker suffered in Europe with the number of games, in Brazil the load should be even higher. In Italy, a Milan team competes 38 Italian championship games, at least six in the Champions League and others in the Italian Cup, depending on their performance.
The most used players in the cast of the Italian team go on the field about 40 times in a year. In the last season, for example, goalkeeper Christian Abbiati was one of Milan’s most active and played ‘only’ 41 times. For those who live with the calls for selections, the data is a little more elastic. Thiago Silva, in his last year in Italy, for example, went on the lawn at 53 opportunities.
In Brazil, the scenario is different. In addition to the same 38 games for the national tournament, six in the Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil, which are equivalent to the Italian calendar, there is the addition of the two Recopa games (in the case of the Corinthians) and at least 19 appearances in Paulistão.
In 2012, for example, the continental success led the Park São Jorge club to enter the field 76 times, against Milan's 52 in the 2011/2012 season. This year, in a totally positive scenario, in which the Corinthians reach the final of all the tournaments they play, the club would play 87 times.
In a large cast like the Corinthians, no one should be subjected to such an extensive marathon. But the 2012 scenario once again shows a difference from Europe. Ralf, the most used of all the Alvinegro cast, played 62 times. Even Emerson, who lost most of the second semester suspended or injured, was cast by Tite in 41 matches.
The recipe is a cast rotation. At the beginning of Paulista, for example, the holders will be spared, and the scenario should be repeated throughout the year. For Turíbio Leite, an experienced physiologist who evaluated Duck in the middle of the year, the player can overcome the obstacle with tranquility.
‘Seria um problema para o Pato do Milan, não para o Pato do Corinthians. Certamente o cuidado do qual ele poderá dispor será diferente. O prognóstico aqui é muito mais promissor. E ele tem 23 anos. Normalmente quem sofre mais com isso são os jogadores que vêm da Europa com mais de 30’, disse o médico.
Source: UOL
