Samba, soccer and pandemic

If in Europe and in great part of South America we are already beginning to talk about opening and new normal after months of confinement in the fight against coronavirus, Brazil still continues without managing to control the coronavirus and disputes with the United States and India the title of world epicenter of the pandemic.

Second country most affected by COVID-19, only surpassed by the United States, Brazil registered yesterday 1,237 new victims of the virus and must surpass the tragic mark of 100,000 deaths and 3 million confirmed cases this weekend. A foreseeable tragedy thanks to the president's handling of the crisis Jair bolsonaro, which follows his discourse based on scientific denialism and treating COVID-19 as a kind of political enemy.

In the middle of national emergency the country lives, the Brazilian leaders decided to follow the Bolsonaro's mantra – “Brazil cannot stop” – and they have decided resume competitions regional A few weeks ago, under a lot of controversy and protests from different clubs, coaches and footballers. But if the local competitions, which did not require large trips, were already a great challenge, today with the start of the Brazilian Championship is when they will get to test the protocols (or lack of) of soccer in the country. Due to the delay in the conclusion of the São Paulo and Bahia leagues, three matches of the first day were already postponed.

He Brazilian is a competition that brings together teams from nine states across the country, six where the numbers of the pandemic are growing completely out of control. Two others present stable contagion data and so just one with the downward curve. Without anticipating the return of the fans to the stands, the biggest criticism It was because of him keeping the original format of the tournament, with 38 rounds with roundtrip matches. The forecast is that there will be no end of the year break and that the championship will be played in the middle of summer, concluding on February 24.

He great sports star from this Brasileirão will be the Catalan Domènec Torrent, Guardiola's former assistant, who came to the current champion, Flamengo, to replace Jorge Jesus, who went to Benfica.