Striker Hulk made his long-awaited debut for Fluminense on the night of Wednesday, July 8, at Maracanã. Hired in May, the player performed well in the 6-1 victory over Nova Iguaçu, in a friendly match.
Even without finding the net in his debut with the tricolor shirt, Hulk showed good pace, built offensive plays, although he missed some clear opportunities, and had a direct participation in scoring moments. After the match, he commented on his anxiety to score his first goal for the club.
“We will always have these butterflies in our stomach, because we live football intensely”, declared the striker. “Personally, I love playing. Regardless of my age, I try to take great care of myself to run a lot and help my teammates. It’s natural to expect to score goals, but the most crucial thing is to focus on the collective, work hard to strengthen and bring the team together more and more, as goals come naturally.”
Hulk started the match among the starters and remained on the field until the 19th minute of the final stage. He highlighted the importance of the minutes and viewed Fluminense’s next commitments as essential steps to achieve their ideal physical condition and adjust to the technical committee’s methodology. The athlete also discussed integration with the rest of the squad, having actively participated in the two goals scored by Savarino in the game.
“We’ve been training intensely for a few days now, looking for the best physical shape,” said Hulk, “so that on the 17th (against Bragantino), our main focus, we can start well and return with strength to the Brazilian Championship. Today’s minutes were very beneficial, and next Sunday’s will also be vital for us to reach our best condition and integrate ourselves more and more, not only with Lucho, but with all the other athletes.”
Fluminense’s next match will be on Sunday, July 12th, at 4pm, in another friendly match. The team will face Bahia again at Maracanã.
