A World Cup, a Copa America, 60 selections for the Brazilian national team and nearly 400 games played in the jerseys of Flamengo, Sao Paulo, PSG and AC Milan ... One thing is certain: Leonardo scored the history of football. On the eve of the knockout stages of the Champions League between PSG and the Germans of Borussia Dortmund, the chain L'Équipe is broadcasting this Monday a documentary investigating the current sports director of Paris Saint-Germain, entitled "Leonardo, the strategist".
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"He's a strategist who approaches the conjurer"
Since his return to the capital last summer, the Brazilian has been on the front line. A new disillusionment in the Champions League for PSG, which still heals the wounds of the famous "remontada" against Barça and which very disappointed Saturday against Amiens (4-4), could cost him dearly. But Leonardo remains a strategist. A logical qualifier, according to the co-director of the documentary, Sébastien Tarrago. "Leonardo always thinks about the next move," he explains to the microphone of Europe 1.
♟⚽️ "Leonardo, the strategist"
The Investigation Team returns next Monday with a documentary devoted to the sports director of PSG. # LequipeENQUETEpic.twitter.com / 4bkpVwCKau
"Sometimes I would almost want to say that he is a conjurer, because he can have more or less successful media outings, and despite this, because he is so strong, all the comments are extremely positive", continues Sébastien Tarrago. "He is a strategist who approaches the conjurer," he summarizes.
"Leo was not a passive boy in the face of events"
But on the ground, not sure that this is a quality. Djalminha, a former Brazilian international who ran into Leonardo when they wore the Seleçao jersey during the 1997 Copa America, says Leonardo "was not a saint". "Leo is a well-educated boy, yes, but he is also a boy with many personalities," he explains in the documentary.
#Leonardo went to the front to defend #Tuchel, not happy with the front page of the team in particular: "At PSG we will never see a coach alone, lost. We see that there is room for improvement." #ASSEPSG@Europe1#Europe1pic.twitter.com/eTOwOe3HAu
- Julien Froment (@JulienFroment) December 15, 2019"When he was playing, he was able to give his opinion, to disagree on the instructions and with the system," continues Djalminha. "If some people were of an opinion, he could give a contrary opinion. If he had to play hard and go into contact with a teammate, he was also able to do so. He was not a passive boy in the face of events . He had personality, and that's how you succeed in this business. "
"He was always there to make life easier for his teammates"
A strong personality that Leonardo has forged throughout his playing career. "To understand Leonardo, there is Romário, who is also a very great player in the history of Brazilian football," explains Sébastien Tarrago. The former teammate of Leonardo tells in the documentary how the latter, who comes from a fairly well-off family, helped his teammates in all their trips. "He was always there to make life easier for his teammates. He was there to support," concludes Sébastien Tarrago.