CHAPECOENSE, THE BRAZILIAN football club cruelly decimated by a plane crash, strode back on the field today in a new line-up for their first match since the tragedy.
Intense public and media attention was greeting the friendly match against Palmeiras, played in the 20,000-seater Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco decked out in the home side’s green colour.
Although supporters had snapped up all the club jerseys online, and 241 journalists from around the world were accredited for the game, the stadium was not full.
Tickets priced expensively at $25 each at a time of dire unemployment in Brazil likely kept some away.
Before the 4.30pm (1830 GMT) kick-off, the three survivors of the crash that wiped out their team-mates received the Copa Sudamerica trophy posthumously awarded to the club to sustained applause.
Widows of the players killed then filed on to the grass to receive medals on behalf of their husbands in an emotionally powerful ceremony.
“I’m sure that those who have left us, if they are watching, would feel happy,” one of the survivors, left-back Alan Ruschel, told a news conference ahead of the event.
Their plane went down on 28 November in mountains near Colombia’s city of Medellin as the team were flying in to play Atletico Nacional.
Of the 77 people on board, 71 lost their lives, including 19 players and 24 other club members.
In the 71st minute of the game, the stadium’s crowd was going to be asked to stand and clap in homage of the victims — the beginning of a tradition for all home games played by Chapecoense.
The plane accident cut short the fairytale run of the unheralded team who had risen in five years from the fourth division and were playing in their first major final.
To rebuild the side, sporting director Rui Costa has recruited 22 players, most of them on loan.
He said on Friday that the game was “the strongest argument… that this club refused to die”.
The club’s new coach, Vagner Mancini, called the match “a pivotal moment”.
Ruschel and another surviving player, defender Helio Neto, are on the path to recovery and hope to play this season.
Goalkeeper Jackson Follman had his foot amputated, ending his career.
The others who survived the crash were two of the plane’s Bolivian crew and a radio reporter, Rafael Henzel, who said today’s game “is the first match of my new life”.
The 43-year-old journalist will be commentating the game. “We need moments like this — it’s a rebirth,” he said.
The new-look Chapecoense have no big names, but include experienced players such as former Lille striker Tulio de Melo and ex-Benfica goalkeeper Artur Moraes.
Half the match proceeds will go to the families of those killed, while the rest will be used to rebuild the club.
Presuming Leinster send a B team to SA. Bulls will be hoping they drop points and bulls will go full out for top spot with pretty much all home games now till the end …would like to see a fully loaded Leinster playing the bulls in the final in Pretoria ..that would be awesome to see….
@Stuart: I say they will send a B side with the Northampton game after the SA tour
@Stuart: I reckon Munster are more than a bit offended that the Bulls couldn’t be bothered playing their strongest team in CC quarter final. Hoping for a cracking match.
@sean o’farrell: send a good mix, start most of the first squad in game 1 and the so called B team in game 2 with a strong bench. Loads of game time and fantastic team building trip.
@chris mcdonnell: they may fly the A team back after the Lions game – I think they did that a few season ago – B team should still be stronger than the team we put out last year when we played the Bulls
This season could work for Leinster. Last year; the URC and Champions Cup Semi finals were all in May This year, URC doesn’t finish until June; so they won’t have to decide which semi final to priortise. They can go full strength for both. So if Leinster are going to do the double; this is the year to do it They won’t get as long a season next year, so managing knockouts of two completions with a trip to SA will be more difficult.