Abu Dhabi: Gremio coach Renato Portaluppi has warned favourites Real Madrid that his side ‘isn’t here for a picnic’ ahead of Saturday’s Fifa Club World Cup final at Zayed Sports City from 9pm.
“Real are the favourites in my opinion,” he said. “But Gremio haven’t come for a picnic.
“You can rest assured we’re going to sweat and give our best because what Real want to achieve, we want to achieve also.
“Real will have to confront a big adversary and we will do our best to conquer this title.
“It’s not only about the quality you have in the field but also the will you have to win. Real may be favourites, but we can still win because what’s valid is the will.”
Last month Portaluppi became the first Brazilian to win South America’s Copa Libertadores as both a coach and a player, having achieved it first as a player — with Gremio — back in 1983.
Now he can become the first Brazilian to lift the Club World Cup - or as it was previously named the Intercontinental Cup - as both a coach and a player. He won the Intercontinental Cup, also as a Gremio player, back in 1983. On both occasions it was their Copa Libertadores win that qualified them for the world championship.
“I can be a champion both on and off the field,” he added. “I’ve already achieved the world title as a player and now I am going to do it as a coach. I would be very happy if I could do this.
“When I was younger I only used to think about winning as a player, but now I have the responsibility of the whole team.
“Because I was a player myself I can pass on calm and security to the team, but at the end of the day it is the players themselves who should remain calm and continue what we have been doing.
“We’ve had a marvellous campaign and have been marvellous all year but now we come to the most important game because it will decide the world champion.
“It is the most important game in my whole life and also that of the player’s lives. We are aware of the responsibility but are coming with trust that we can win. And we are going to put into practice what we have been learning the whole year through.”
