Davide Ancelotti Faces Criticism Following São Paulo Loss

Davide Ancelotti’s job at Botafogo is uncertain following a loss to São Paulo at Morumbi. The Italian coach faced pressure to improve their Copa Libertadores standing, but a goal from Juan Ignacio Dinenno sealed their defeat and raised doubts about his future.

Ancelotti made seven changes from the previous match against Vasco da Gama, using a defensive midfield trio of Barboza, Alex Telles, and Marlon Freitas. Despite these changes, Botafogo appeared disorganized, struggled to find rhythm, and showed significant defensive weaknesses. São Paulo frequently penetrated their defense, while Botafogo failed to register a single shot on goal in the first 50 minutes. Goalkeeper Neto struggled again and was forced to leave the game due to injury.

The coach defended his strategy, stating, “The idea of using three defensive midfielders was mainly due to the absence of a right winger. I don’t think Álvaro (Montoro) is ready for such an intense match. Santi had a cold, so we needed someone on the wing. Danilo has experience in that role from the Premier League with Forest.”

In the second half, he brought on Joaquín Correa and Matheus Martins, leading to a brief improvement before the team reverted to its previous issues. This loss adds to the existing crisis, as Botafogo has already been eliminated from the cup and is falling in the Brasileirão standings, currently outside the Libertadores qualification spots.

The upcoming match against Mirassol, a rescheduled game from round 12, is now critical. Botafogo is in sixth place with 35 points, while Mirassol sits fourth with 38 points. Another loss could jeopardize Ancelotti’s position as head coach.