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Friday (15) was marked by a press conference with Arrascaeta, at Ninho do Urubu. The Uruguayan midfielder made strong statements about the club's backstage and even repeated a famous phrase from Jorge Jesus, the Portuguese coach who marked an era at Flamengo.

Arrascaeta quotes Jorge Jesus: "Flamengo only loses to itself"

CRITICISM OF DESPERATE PROFESSIONALS

Without directly mentioning the coach, Arrascaeta emphasized that internal problems often harm the club's atmosphere . The Uruguayan also made it clear that he will always stand by his teammates in situations where unprepared professionals could harm them:

"I often tell my friends that Flamengo only loses to itself, because it's difficult to explain some of the things that happen here. Sometimes it's due to a lack of capacity from people who don't realize the size of the club or who aren't used to dealing with this pressure . But when you have experienced and respected players like Alex Sandro, Bruno, Nico, Viña, and so many others, the group becomes stronger," said the number 10.

"Whatever happens outside won't affect our squad. We'll always be together. When something happens to a teammate, we'll be here to help," Arrascaeta assured. The statement alludes to the controversy surrounding former doctor José Luiz Runco, who was fired after exposing details of De La Cruz's physical condition , claiming the Uruguayan was living with an irreversible chronic injury.

SUPPORT FOR DE LA CRUZ

At the time, Arrascaeta posted a photo alongside De La Cruz, accompanied by the message: " It's about taking care of our own. It's that simple ." The gesture was interpreted as a dig at the former professional, as well as a pat on the back for his club and national team friend.

Now, at the press conference, the number 10 reinforced the importance of squad unity in the face of external turbulence: "Regardless of who it is, Nico or another player, we have to be together. It's very difficult to stay focused on the field when these situations happen. But I've been here for six years and I know that Flamengo always experiences moments like this. Our role is to keep ourselves in the locker room so that this doesn't affect us, even though some situations are very difficult," he concluded.

Internacional fans promise to turn Beira-Rio into a real cauldron for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores . In just over two hours, all available tickets for the match against Flamengo, scheduled for Wednesday (20), were sold . The information was confirmed by the Rio Grande do Sul portal Revista Colorada.

The sale, initially exclusive to members of the Rio Grande do Sul club, highlighted the high expectations in Porto Alegre . The projected attendance is close to 50,000 Colorado fans for the decisive match. The red-and-black fans will also fill the area designated for visitors.

THREE MEETINGS IN EIGHT DAYS

Before the Libertadores game, Flamengo and Internacional will face each other this Sunday (17), for the Brazilian Championship, also at Beira-Rio. The match will be a thermometer for what Filipe Luís' team will find days later , both on the field and in the pressure of the stands.

For Flamengo , facing packed stadiums is nothing new. The Rubro-Negro, accustomed to large crowds, played the first leg in front of nearly 70,000 people at Maracanã , winning 1-0 with a goal from Bruno Henrique after a superb cross from Luiz Araújo.

DATES AND TIMES

• Brasileirão: Internacional x Flamengo – Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Beira-Rio.
• Libertadores: Internacional x Flamengo – Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), also at Beira-Rio.

For this Sunday's match, Filipe Luís named all available players, with the exception of midfielder Erick Pulgar, who is still recovering. De La Cruz and Danilo are returning from knee and right thigh injuries , respectively. Meanwhile, Michael returns to the squad for the first time since May 18, in the 0-0 draw with Botafogo.

Flamengo has important reinforcements in the coming days. With De La Cruz, Danilo and Emerson Royal on coach Filipe Luís' list of players for the game against Internacional this Sunday (17), Mengão now has a practically empty medical department. But Erick Pulgar's situation still deserves attention .

A regular starter for Filipe Luís, the Chilean midfielder has been out of action since the FIFA Club World Cup. The good news is that his recovery is progressing well, and a return to training is expected. Pulgar is expected to return to action in the second half of September .

AND FOR THE LAWNS?

His return to action will depend on his fitness after a long layoff. Even if he doesn't return until October, the midfielder will still have a good run of matches , as the season doesn't end until December 21st.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Pulgar fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot in the 4-2 loss to Bayern Munich in Orlando, Flamengo 's final World Cup match. He underwent surgery on July 3 and, after two weeks of rest, began physical therapy at Ninho do Urubu.

HOW IS YOUR PULGAR NOW?

The Chilean is no longer in pain and has been monitoring his progress through imaging tests. Between the 10th and 12th week after surgery, he will undergo a CT scan to assess fracture healing and then be cleared to safely return to training . After that, he will undergo further steps: running on the field, ball work, release from physical therapy, and finally, reintegration into the squad.