Lucas Paqueta, who has been linked to Real Madrid, was hailed by Brazil manager Tite after he helped them beat Peru in the Copa America 2021 semi-finals.
Speaking to the press (h/t Bandab.com), Brazil manager Tite praised midfielder Lucas Paqueta after he yet again proved to the match-winner for the Selecao, who beat Peru to make it to the finals of the Copa America 2021.
Brazil clashed against Peru in the semi-finals on Monday night. But it was hardly anything like the group game between the two teams when Tite’s men had cruised to a 4-0 victory. Instead, the hosts of the 2021 Copa America were made to work hard by their opposition. But a 35th-minute strike from midfielder Paqueta proved to be enough for them to book a place in the showpiece event.
This is the second time in as many games that Paqueta has come up clutch for Brazil. Indeed, it was the Olympique Lyon midfielder, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, that scored the only goal of the game when the Selecao beat Chile in the quarter-finals of the competition last week.
And after he helped the defending champions take a step closer to retain the Copa America crown, Tite praised the midfielder as well as the rest of his team, saying: “I would like to congratulate Paquetá, but also the entire team, who did a great job for us to have the performance they had. Brazil deserved it. It could have made a better score, it could have translated into goals in the first half, but it didn’t.”
Tite also insisted that his players had grown worn out into the second half, especially after having had to play an entire half with just ten men against Chile less than 72 hours ago, whereas their opponents, Peru, had gotten a day’s rest more.
“It’s a team that, in less than 72 hours, played 45 minutes with one player less, with very strong physical and mental wear. The return to a normal pattern is very difficult. “The work we did for the game was also very careful, and I’m talking about the physical aspects, also the food aspect, in physiotherapy,” Tite said.
Up next for Paqueta, Tite and Brazil will be the winner of the semi-final between Argentina and Colombia. Paqueta, going by the form he has shown, will once again be key and should he continue to perform in the manner Real Madrid are sure to take notice.
