Alex Sandro says he is well and reveals inspiration in former Flamengo full-back

The Peñarol (URU) team was excited from the beginning of the trip to Rio de Janeiro, where they will face Flamengo, in the quarter-finals of the Libertadores. In addition to cheering the players on the flight towards the 'Marvelous City', the Uruguayans posted a montage of Christ the Redeemer with the club's flag.

As soon as they landed on Rio de Janeiro soil, the Uruguayan club published an image of a of the city's main tourist attractions. In addition to the photo, the team wrote the following message: “Peñarol em Rio”, alluding to Rock In Rio. Afterwards, a video showing the arrival of the athletes at Galeão Airport was also published.

Peñarol reached the quarterfinals of the Libertadores after beating The Strongest (BOL) in the round of 16. In the first game, the Uruguayan team defeated their opponent 4-0. On the way back, the Bolivian team even won by a score of 1-0, however, it was not enough to take away the classification of Diego Aguirre's men.

Before the game against Flamengo, Peñarol played in the Championship Uruguayan. On Saturday (14), Rubro-Negro's opponent beat Rampla (URU), by a score of 4 to 0. Given this situation, they remained undefeated in the national tournament.

Flamengo is coming off a bitter draw with Vasco on Sunday (15), however, they will have reinforcements for this Thursday's duel (19). Recovered from a thigh injury, De La Cruz is back in the team. In addition to the Uruguayan, Alex Sandro, Alcaraz and Gonzalo Plata were registered in the competition and, as a result, will be included in the clash.

Last Tuesday, the candidate for re-election for mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, denied the journalist Ancelmo Gois, from Globo. In a post on Instagram, the mayor informed that the city hall will be responsible for removing the megastructure on the gas meter site, different from what was reported. Furthermore, he guaranteed that Flamengo will have its new stadium, with the best conditions and security.

The news published by Ancelmo informs that Flamengo would have to pay R$100 million to remove a large gas structure present on land acquired by the club, which is owned by CEG and CEG-Rio, which are companies that are part of the gas concessionaire Naturgy.

According to the article, the companies were informed that Flamengo is the responsible for bearing the expenses, as provided for in one of the annexes to the land purchase and transfer contract. The clause, however, does not have a specified limit.

Paes stated that the values ​​for the transfer of the structure are different from what was pointed out in the article by Ancelmo Gois. Furthermore, it exempted Flamengo from any responsibility, and that the city hall has been planning to remove it for years.

“They are making me defend @flamengo more than I would like: let it be clear that this is not the The cost of this transfer and when it happens will be the responsibility of the city of Rio, which knows that this structure cannot be in an area that is already receiving so many residential buildings. It's been in our plans for a long time! Flamengo will have its new stadium there in the gasometer with all the quality and safety that the region demands and deserves. Period!”, published the mayor.

Last Sunday, Alex Sandro experienced one of the most memorable moments of his career when he debuted at Flamengo, during an important classic. In a post on social media, the player expressed his gratitude to the fans and highlighted the special meaning of finally wearing the red and black shirt, something he always wanted.

Alex Sandro did not hide his emotion when describing the debut for the club as the realization of a long-time dream. The player, who has already played for other teams, had been waiting for the opportunity to join Flamengo's squad. For him, playing for the Rio team goes beyond sporting issues: it is an opportunity to connect with one of the most passionate fans in Brazil, something he valued in his message.

With a solid career so far, Alex Sandro was already used to big games and intense rivalries, but the weight of a classic for Flamengo brought a different emotion. The player highlighted, in his publication, that the support of the fans was essential, highlighting that fans are a crucial part of the team's success. The tone of the post, in addition to celebrating the moment, reflected the respect and importance he gives to the role of the fans in the team's performance.

Although Alex Sandro's debut was a personal milestone, the match in itself was also significant for Flamengo. The team faced one of its biggest rivals, and the player's presence brought new tactical possibilities to the team. During the 90 minutes, Alex Sandro showed ease, even though it was his first match in the Flamengo, signaling that it is ready to contribute to the team in future challenges.