Botafogo lose 1-0 to Nacional Potosí at altitude in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores qualifier, extending Martín Anselmi losing streak to six and setting up a high pressure return match in Brazil.
Martín Anselmi is still going through a rough spell at Botafogo, adding a sixth straight defeat to a run that is quickly turning into a major source of pressure.
This time the setback came in Bolivia, where Botafogo lost away to Nacional Potosí in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Copa Libertadores, a tie that now becomes far more delicate ahead of the return match in Brazil.
The context of the game mattered as much as the scoreline. Playing in Potosí means dealing with extreme altitude, a factor that changes the rhythm of the match, affects decision making, and makes sustained pressing and long spells of intensity much harder to maintain. Anselmi highlighted exactly that afterwards, pointing out that the stadium is among the highest altitude venues in world football. From his perspective, the performance had elements to work with even if the result did not.
Botafogo, according to the coach, created enough to avoid defeat. He stressed that the team missed clear chances in the first half and also had opportunities after the break. The key message was that the game plan was not entirely wrong: be intelligent in possession, avoid unnecessary transitions, and counterattack quickly when space opened up. In these conditions, pace and timing often matter more than volume of attacks, because repeated runs become heavier, legs tire faster, and the ball can travel differently than players are used to at sea level.
Anselmi also leaned on the mentality side, praising the commitment, energy and attitude of his players for staying competitive throughout the ninety minutes. That matters in two ways. First, it suggests Botafogo did not collapse physically, which can happen in altitude matches when teams chase the game too aggressively. Second, it gives him a base to argue that the tie is still alive, because the first leg could have finished as a draw or even a Botafogo win if the finishing had been sharper.
The match itself was decided by a single goal from Oscar Baldomar, leaving Botafogo with a narrow deficit that is still recoverable but uncomfortable. A one goal loss keeps the door open, yet it also increases the stakes for the second leg: Botafogo will need to be more clinical, manage emotions, and avoid giving Nacional Potosí any easy moments that could shift momentum.
This result adds another layer to the growing scrutiny around Anselmi. A six match losing streak, regardless of competition, quickly becomes a storyline that dominates the environment around a club. Even when performances are not catastrophic, defeats pile up and confidence becomes fragile. For a manager, the challenge is not only tactical. It is also about stabilizing the squad mentally, keeping the dressing room aligned, and preventing the noise outside the pitch from affecting execution on it.
Anselmi insisted the tie is far from over, reminding everyone that there are still ninety minutes to play and that the return match at home should be a very different story. That is both a sporting argument and a message to calm the situation. Home advantage, normal conditions, and a crowd behind the team typically allow a Brazilian side to play with higher tempo and more sustained pressure. If Botafogo can start well in the second leg, the narrative can flip quickly. But if the team concedes first, the tension will rise and the margin for error will shrink immediately.
He also mentioned personal experience with altitude, saying he knows what it is like, but that Potosí is a unique case. That detail underlines how much the venue shaped the approach. Rather than framing it as an excuse, he framed it as a factor that makes the effort of competing and creating chances more meaningful, even if it did not translate into the result he wanted.
The second leg now becomes a defining moment, both for the Libertadores campaign and for Anselmi himself. Botafogo will need a more ruthless edge in the final third, cleaner decision making in transition, and a controlled level of aggression to avoid being exposed on counters. If the team can combine intensity with patience, the deficit can be overturned. If the wastefulness in front of goal continues, the pressure on the coach will only intensify, because the run of defeats will become harder to defend on performance alone.
