Experience in Series B is Dudu Vieira’s asset

With the responsibility of wearing his 13th different shirt in professional football, midfielder Dudu Vieira was officially presented on Tuesday by Ponte Preta and is now available to coach João Brigatti for the clash against Coritiba, scheduled for the opening round of the Series B of the Brazilian Championship, which will be played between April 19th and 21st.

At 30 years old and part of the bad campaign that took Santo André to Series A-2 of the Campeonato Paulista, the midfielder arrives to rebuild a sector that suffered losses with the sales of Felipe Amaral to América-MG, of Felipinho to Athletico- PR and Léo Naldi for Vitória-BA. Currently, the squad options in the position are: Ramon Carvalho, Fraga and Emerson Santos. “The contact from Ponte Preta made me very happy and I didn’t think twice before accepting to be part of this challenge”, said Dudu Veira.

His last two experiences in Series B generated different experiences for Dudu Vieira. In 2022, the athlete was part of the campaign that made Ituano compete for access to the last round and left the team in sixth place after the defeat at home to Vasco da Gama by the minimum score. Galo de Itu got 57 points.

The following year, Dudu Vieira was worried from the first to the last round, but managed to avoid Chapecoense’s relegation to third place nationally. The team from Santa Catarina finished in 16th place with 40 points. In total, the midfielder played 115 games in Série B with the shirts of Chapecoense, Figueirense, Ituano, São Bento and Vitória. “I know the competition very well and I know that playing in Series B is very difficult. Each year that passes the level has increased even more. Despite this, I see that Ponte has put together a team to go in search of big things in this championship”, said the player.

For the player, a team with the profile of Ponte Preta cannot enter with any other ambition than to be a protagonist. “Ponte Preta cannot enter a Brazilian without seeking access. Given this, you can expect determination, will, fight and dedication”, he added.

If, on the one hand, coach João Brigatti gained an experienced option suited for Series B, on the other hand, there is no neglect in relation to the revelation of new talents. The executive board announced yesterday that goalkeeper Guilherme Viana, aged 20, signed his first contract as a professional athlete. “It’s an incredible feeling. We have been working every day so that we can continue our career in the best way possible”, said the player, without hiding his emotion.

The archer clarifies that this phase in his career is experienced thanks to the clinical eye of the professional team’s goalkeeper trainer, Lauro Freitas. “I was preparing for the Copinha, about two months before Lauro came and asked me to train here professionally. And he really liked me, he gave optimistic feedback about my training and my person and it ended up that it worked out for me to stay here at Ponte and have this good relationship with everyone here at the professional level,” he said.

After Aranha’s departure in 2017, Macaca gave an opportunity to goalkeeper Ivan, who later left the club for Caíque, who this year transferred to Sport and thus made room for Pedro Rocha, a graduate of the club.

With these facts, Guilherme Viana considers that there are plenty of reasons to continue the path opened by other goalkeepers revealed by the club. “I’m from Campinas, I’ve seen Ponte Preta grow in recent years and it’s a huge pride for me to be part of this group, to live with Pedro Rocha, Luan, Vinicius, now William and Lauro (goalkeeper coach), with Xau (goalkeeper coach) too”, said Guilherme. “The other goalkeepers who were here too, it’s an honor to be representing the institution”, he concluded.