Comparing Brazilian clubs to European sides is normally a thing for the local media, who always wonder how would these clashes be.
Some club officials join the bandwagon too. We’ve lately seen a Grêmio president saying Liverpool ‘can be beaten’, as well as the Flamengo manager Jorge Jesus claiming that his team could make it to the Premier League’s top six.
Now it’s time for Everton to get involved in this fight, with Athletico manager Tiago Nunes making some heavy claims about the Toffees.
The coach has been interviewed for the Bola Da Vez show on ESPN Brasil, and journalist André Plihal asked him how would his side do against a European club.
“It’s just that we don’t have a chance to play against the guys. If we had this opportunity, we could have a marker. Everything is in the sphere of guessing,” Thiago Nunes told ESPN Brasil.
Then the journalist picked a random ‘mid-table’ club from the Premier League, which was Everton, asking if they would lose at the Arena da Baixada.
“Ah, they would be battered. They would suffer. It’s true. Do you know why? We understand that ‘it’s in Europe, it’s there, they’re much better’. The guys have good players, and mid-table players are players who are very tactically committed. But you get some hideous games to watch.”
Athletico currently have their best team in history, having won the Copa Sul Americana last year and the Brazilian Cup this month. So we understand why they’re full of confidence.
