Adriano has lunch with Materazzi, who is wearing a Flamengo shirt at a steakhouse

With no room in Filipe Luís's squad, striker Juninho is close to leaving Flamengo . The player expressed his desire to return to Qarabag in Azerbaijan , the club where he enjoyed a successful career before joining Flamengo. The information was published by the RTI Esporte portal.

CLASSIFICATION SEEN AS NECESSARY

Signed in January, Juninho failed to live up to expectations and lost his place in the 2025 season . According to the report, the deal depends on Qarabag's performance in the Champions League preliminary round.

The Azerbaijani team faces Ferencváros, from Hungary, after winning the first leg 3-1 away from home . To advance, they can lose by up to one goal in the return leg, scheduled for this Wednesday (27), at 1:45 pm (Brasília time).

FLAMENGO PREFERS TO SALE, QARABAG WANTS A LOAN

Qarabag wants to sign Juninho on a season-long loan until June 2026. However, the red-black board prefers a permanent deal , as the striker is not in Filipe Luís's plans. For Flamengo , the striker scored only three goals, including one in the Campeonato Carioca final, but was unable to establish himself in the first team.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

While Juninho remains at Filipe Luís's disposal, Flamengo prepares for the next game in the Brazilian Championship. On Sunday (31) at 4 pm (Brasília time), Mais Querido receives Grêmio at Maracanã for the 22nd round of the competition.

Looking to strengthen the squad for the fight to escape the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship Series B, Athletic confirmed the arrival of defender Felipe Vieira , a young player trained in the youth ranks of Flamengo.

TRAJECTORY AT FLAMENGO

Felipe joined Flamengo in 2022 to play for the under-17 team and quickly excelled. At under-20, he earned a place in national and international competitions, demonstrating maturity and confidence. He was part of the squad that won the Under-20 Libertadores , a competition in which Flamengo defeated Palmeiras on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final.

With the title, the club secured a spot in the U-20 Intercontinental Championship, which they won against Barcelona. The defender also lifted the U-20 Carioca Championship trophy for Mais Querido, but was not among the squad for the World Cup .

ARRIVAL AT ATHLETIC

Now in Athletic 's professional squad, Felipe is already training under coach Rui Duarte, who now counts on the defender as an option to strengthen the defensive system in Serie B. The Minas Gerais club has the worst defense in the championship with 33 goals conceded.

FELIPE VIEIRA'S NUMBERS

In the 2024/25 season, Felipe started 15 matches for Flamengo's youth academy, totaling 721 minutes on the pitch. He didn't score any goals or provide any assists, but he received only four yellow cards and no red cards , demonstrating discipline. His main strengths are positioning, reading the game, aerial dominance, and defensive anticipation.

The recent change in the Brazilian football calendar continues to generate controversy . Flamengo, which had weeks off after being eliminated from the Copa do Brasil, saw this plan compromised by the change made by the CBF . However, this Monday (25), Filipe Luís's team showed strength: they thrashed Vitória 8-0 at Maracanã, after four days of rest. For the coach, the break was decisive for the performance.

Filipe Luís on his break at Flamengo: "It will be demonstrated one day and it will change"

"The club has already taken a position, and I prefer not to comment on the matter (of changing the calendar). Players with four days of rest fly, and then after every three days they can't perform. This hasn't been proven yet; it will be proven one day, and it will change . I'm absolutely certain that, scientifically, they will demonstrate that a player needs four days to fully recover. It won't be this year," the coach stated.

DECISIVE REST

Before facing Vitória, Flamengo had faced Internacional on Wednesday (20). Thus, the interval between the two commitments guaranteed a four-day recovery period , exactly what Filipe Luís defends as ideal for athletes to reach maximum performance.

HOW WAS THE ROUTE?

Flamengo gave their opponent no chance . Just two minutes into the game, the scoreboard was already 2-0, with goals from Samuel Lino and Pedro. Later in the first half, Arrascaeta extended the lead. In the second half, Flamengo accelerated and built a historic rout: Pedro (twice), Lino, Luiz Araújo, and Bruno Henrique sealed the 8-0 victory.

NEXT CHALLENGE

After the result, fans are already planning their next match. Flamengo will have another four days of rest before facing Grêmio on Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão. Mengão is the isolated leader of the competition with 46 points, four more than the second-placed Palmeiras.