Libero Thales failed to fit the game in the first set of brawls against the United States in the preliminary round of the Tokyo Olympics. The Brazil men’s volleyball team won the match 3 sets to 1 at the Ariake Arena this Friday.
Inattentive in some moves, Libero ended up struggling with the rest of the team, who played with high intensity and showed great concentration after a difficult first set start for the Brazilians.
Thales found it difficult to reach the balls and was assisted by a teammate led by coach Rennon Dal Zotto. In the breaks between sets, the coaches gave Libero several orientations. He didn’t even start the game well by covering the court, leaving a lot of space at crucial moments.
Outside, fans have not forgiven the player who has been severely criticized since last Thursday’s loss against Russia. Despite a poor start, Thales improved in the last sets and showed that he could be a key piece for Brazil.
Seeking to be more confident and more in the game, he helped the Brazilian team close the match, mainly improving passes. Libero also managed to be a point of balance in the defensive part, defending balls he, initially, could not find.
“To be honest, I don’t think we started the game from the bottom up,” Thales said of the team’s performance. “There were mistakes on both sides, but I think we’ve been playing this game well from the start. It’s difficult, the Brazilian team is used to playing under pressure, so it’s hard to beat.”
The player praised the team’s ability to handle the pressure of returning American players. Brazil’s most delicate moments in the game were precisely when the American team broke the Brazilian team’s pass and forced a serve.
“We took the ace, broke the pass and didn’t suffer as much. We had somehow focused our minds more on the next point. I think we were psychologically better today”, he concluded.
