Botafogo head coach Tite turned to 36-year-old midfielder Edenilson to rescue a 1-0 victory against Atlético-MG at the Engenhão stadium, thefootball.com.br reported. After spending a month on the sidelines recovering from a right thigh muscle injury, the veteran stepped into the starting lineup following a grade 2 adductor tear sustained by regular starter Danilo Santos.
The narrow triumph lifted Botafogo to 42 points in the Campeonato Brasileiro standings, putting five points between the Rio de Janeiro club and the relegation zone with four matches remaining in the competition. Tite deployed a tactical setup featuring three central defenders and three defensive midfielders to restore defensive stability.
“I think it’s important to help with marking, but I always like to play in attack,” Edenilson said after scoring the decisive goal. “We know that sometimes it takes one play to decide a game.”
Danilo and Ferraresi Face Race Against Time
Danilo’s absence creates an immediate selection puzzle for Tite ahead of the club’s next fixture. The midfielder suffered a grade 2 muscle tear in his right thigh, forcing his withdrawal from the Brazil national team squad under manager Carlo Ancelotti for November friendlies against Japan and Singapore, according to reporting from esporte.ig.com.br.
Botafogo’s medical department is working to clear Danilo for the match against Corinthians on Nov. 18 at the Neo Química Arena in São Paulo. Meanwhile, central defender Nahuel Ferraresi remains unavailable after Venezuelan national team coach Oswaldo Vizcarrondo called him up for friendlies against the Netherlands on Nov. 14 and Russia on Nov. 17. With Ferraresi away, Uruguayan defender Lucas Monzón is expected to fill the vacancy in the starting XI.
Botafogo Holds Five-Point Cushion Above Relegation Zone
Botafogo sits 11th in the league table after 34 matches, holding a precarious five-point cushion over the drop zone. Corinthians occupies 18th place with 37 points following a scoreless draw against São Paulo at the Vila Belmiro, according to esporte.ig.com.br data.
“Not everyone in the squad has been through this situation of fighting at the bottom of the table, but I think we did a good job,” Edenilson said regarding the team’s relegation fight. “Now there’s going to be this break, and we need to work even harder.”
Botafogo requires three more points from its final four fixtures to guarantee mathematical safety in Brazil’s top flight. The squad returns to action on Nov. 18 to face Corinthians in São Paulo.
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