Open question - why is Brazilian domestic football so terrible? Thought I'd see what Sao Paulo v Cruzeiro in the Libertadores had to offer and it's been utterly turgid. 2 of the much better teams in the country too. This isn't an anomaly either, must have watched a few dozen games between teams in Brazil in the past 12-18 months and the vast majority of them have more long balls in them than most Football League offerings, painfully slow build-up and finishing of an incomprehensibly bad level. Technical skill yes in terms of trickery and pace but even then, set pieces are quite often abysmal. The pitches are diabolical too. I can only assume there's a massive under-funding in domestic football, or at least its not going to the right people. But in terms of the style of play, why is it so negative? Sorry if that comes across as harsh Flip et al but it's just what I've seen. Alarmingly poor given Brazil's incredible footballing history.
The crowds though make a brilliant noise despite debatable attendances, and in big games are deafening.