Flamengo hero Gabriel Barbosa flopped in Europe, but can get redemption scoring against Liverpool in the Club World Cup
FOR nearly 89 minutes of Saturday’s Copa Libertadores final, Flamengo star striker Gabriel Barbosa did little of note.
In the 95th minute he was sent off. But between these two moments he did enough to be chosen as the ‘best of the match,’ defining the destiny of South America’s version of the Champions League.
In a mad three minutes ‘Gabi-goal’ struck twice, clawing the game away from a River Plate side that had one hand and a few fingers on the trophy.
The first was a centre forward’s far post tap in, the second a cute left footed finish after outwitting both the rival centre backs.
He won the title for his side, confirming his status as the top goalscorer of the Copa Libertadores.
A day later, without taking the field, Flamengo wrapped up the Brazilian league – a competition in which Gabriel is the top scorer, just as he was last year when he was playing for Santos.
FAILURE IN EUROPE
In South America, then, this man is a goal machine. But his time in Europe was a dismal failure.
A big money signing for Inter Milan in 2016, he was a giant disappointment. True, many players have failed to come off at Inter in recent times.
But when he was loaned out to Benfica in Portugal he was equally poor. The only way to rebuild his career was to return home, and so he was loaned back to Santos, his original club, at the start of last year before moving on to Flamengo.
Is this a world class player or a rabbit killer? Gabriel remains an enigma – on an even deeper level after the final of the Libertadores.
His time in Europe left two doubts hanging over Gabriel. Was he really so special, and did he have the temperament to cope with top level football?
A SPECIAL TALENT
Always seen as a special talent as he made his first steps in the game – he was playing centre forward for Brazil at the age of 19 – it was felt in Europe that he found it hard to cope with not being awarded the same status.
It was hard for him to be viewed as merely one of a much deeper squad. And at 23 he continues to suffer from outbreaks of excessive petulance.
Even in this golden season the cards have come almost as frequently as the goals. He has managed to get himself sent off in both the last two games he has played, including, of course, the final of the Libertadores.
ALTHOUGH HE HAS WEAKNESSES
Moreover, as Flamengo struggled for so long to make any impact on the River Plate defence, some of Gabriel’s limitations were apparent.
He is quick, able to produce skill at pace, and has a wonderful left foot. But River found it relatively easy to force him into blind alleys.
Under the pressure of the big occasion, decision making suffered, and he was too slow to keep the ball moving. And the truly world class goal poacher needs to able to strike the ball with either foot.
There were times when the hint of a chance disappeared as he cut in onto his left foot. Is he good enough on his right to trouble the best defences?
We are surely about to find out. After three years in the wilderness, he has forced his way back into contention for a place in the Brazil squad, and has every chance of getting into the team for next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
READY FOR LIVERPOOL
And then there is the question of his club future. He is still under contract to Inter Milan. Flamengo would love to buy him, and with the money pouring in from the Libertadores title, they could probably afford him.
But is that what he wants? Or might he see Europe as unfinished business? It is a decision that has to be made quickly.
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The big European clubs are increasingly unwilling to spend on South Americans in their mid-20s who are unproven in European football.
All of this adds extra spice to next month’s Club World Cup.
If Flamengo meet Liverpool, and if Gabriel Barbosa gets the best of Virgil Van Dijk, then some of those doubts will evaporate very quickly – though not quite as fast as the way that Gabi-two goals turned the course of the Libertadores final.