Payet, the immense fear

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By: Manu Tournoux

Payet, the immense fear

Dimitri Payet was very close to experiencing relegation with Vasco da Gama, finally saved at the last minute.

The last day of the championship kept all its promises in Brazil. If the fight for the title of champion was hardly exciting, it was quite different from that for maintenance. At the top of the standings, Palmeiras, with its three points lead, was content with the bare minimum by drawing against Cruzeiro, the prodigy Endrick giving his team a quiet evening by opening the score from the 21ste minute.

And there was even less suspense as its runner-up before this last lift, Atletico Mineiro, sank in Bahia (4-1). While Galo had little left to hope for, their host, relegated at the start of the evening, was playing for nothing less than their survival in the elite. It was the same for Dimitri Payet’s Vasco da Gama, who hosted Bragantino. Given the victory of Bahia, the Carioca club had to win to ensure its maintenance.

John Textor, the chalice to the dregs…

After opening the score at the half-hour mark, Vasco da Gama was caught in the second half and remained in a relegation position for a good twenty minutes. But Serginho finally offered victory to his team ten minutes from time, allowing the club of the former Marseillais – holder and replaced shortly after Bragantino’s equalizer – to save themselves to the detriment of Santos. A year after Pelé’s death, his long-time club in Brazil lost at home to Fortaleza and suffered the first relegation in its history.

Finally, note that John Textor experienced a nightmare evening since after the heavy defeat of Olympique Lyonnais in Marseille, it was his Botafogo who lost, losing 3-1 against Internacional in Porto Alegre. The Rio club, which was leader of the championship at mid-term with 13 points ahead, ultimately finished in fifth place in the championship and will therefore have to go through a preliminary phase to compete in the Copa Libertadores.

Manu Tournoux

Written by:

Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.