Why are fans staying away from Brazil's championship? A month or so ago I was making my way back on the train after a game involving Rio de Janeiro club Fluminense when I overheard a supporter talking about the death of his father a few months earlier. His dad had passed away on the same day that Fluminense faced Boca Juniors of Argentina in a big game in the Copa Libertadores, South America's Champions League. Despite that, said the fan, "I still went to the game. It's what he would have wanted. My dad was a fervent Fluminense fan. I could imagine him saying "son, it's too late to do anything for me, but you can go and give the team a hand." The story, which I shall retain and roll out the next time someone tells me that football does not matter, illustrates the depth of the bond that exists between the fan and the club, the individual and the collective. I feel sure that this fan (and spiritually speaking, his father) was present in Rio's Engenhao stadium for Fluminense's home match on Sunday - as long as he was able to get a ticket. Supporters queued for hours last week to ensure their presence for the match against Cruzeiro - even though there was nothing resting on the game. Away to Palmeiras the previous week, an 88th-minute goal by centre-forward Fred had given Fluminense a 3-2 win and ensured, with three rounds left to play, that the title