BELLINGHAM CAN ACHIEVE HISTORICAL FEATURE AT CHAMPIONS AND EQUAL EX-FLAMENGO

In the last round of the Libertadores group stage, Flamengo, now under the command of coach Tite, saw its long undefeated streak as home team come to an end. The 1-0 defeat marked the end of a run of 28 matches without losing at home in the competition. The negative result was a shock for the fans, mainly because it occurred at a crucial moment in the season and because of the expectations surrounding the team led by a renowned coach like Tite.

The last time Flamengo had been defeated at Maracanã by the Libertadores was in April 2019, when Peñarol beat the red-black team by the same score of 1-0. The current setback, therefore, brought back memories of that game, creating a feeling of déjà vu among fans . It is worth remembering that, at that time, Flamengo was in a moment of transition and seeking to consolidate itself as one of the powers of South American football.

With the arrival of Tite at the helm of Flamengo, the expectation was that the team would gain tactical consistency and competitiveness in important tournaments, such as the Libertadores itself. Tite, who has a respected CV, mainly for his work in the Brazilian national team, was hired with the mission of making Flamengo become dominant again both on the national and international scene.

The defeat at home, however , served as a cold water for part of the fans who expected a quiet victory. Their unbeaten record at home was seen as one of Flamengo's trump cards in continental competition, a guarantee of strength within their domains. By losing this status, the team will now need to deal with the pressure and doubts that arise from this result.

After the 1-0 defeat to Peñarol, in the first game of the Libertadores quarter-finals, coach Tite held a press conference at Maracanã. The team did not perform well and was booed by the fans. Despite the setback, the coach remained confident for the second leg, which will be held in Uruguay.

Regarding the boos coming from the stands, Tite admitted that the fans' dissatisfaction is understandable. "Of course this hurts, especially on the human side. But experience shows that, when you deliver a good production, the fan's reaction is proportional to the love they feel for the club", said the coach, highlighting the emotional bond between the fans and the Most Dear.

The coach was also asked about the difficulty of Mengão in achieving victories away from home in the Libertadores, since 2022. The last victory away from home came on August 31, 2022, against Vélez Sarsfield, with an impressive 4-0. "We have a great opportunity to break this sequence This is part of the history of football, and I believe we are fully capable of getting there and changing this scenario", replied Tite, showing optimism.

Tite guaranteed that the team will be more effective in Uruguay, promising a better performance. "Within two or three minutes, we score the goal, and from that point on, we work on the result. In some moments we were hasty, and the opposing goalkeeper also had merit. But I'm confident that we will create half of the opportunities and convert them into goals there. You can charge me later", said the coach, projecting a positive scenario for the second leg.

Last Wednesday (24), striker Carlinhos secured three points for Flamengo over Vitória. Due to his way of celebrating, the player received the nickname "Bellingham da Gávea" from the red-black fans. Thus, the athlete commented on the joke.

"For me: Ronaldo, Romário and Adriano, I'm a big fan of them and I always try to imitate them. I know there's a lot missing. And I like the fans because they're creative: “it's Adriano Imperador's Avatar”, “Bellingham da Gávea”… That's cool. Here, for the guys, I'm the “thunder” because a partner of mine said: “Can I make a stop at your boot”? forget it", he said, in an interview with FlaTV.

In addition to commenting on the fans' joke, Carlinhos also spoke about the meaning of the way he celebrates goals as a Flamengo player.

"I came from an evangelical family, and at home there were a lot of evangelical films. Even though my name is Carlos Moisés, I always liked the opposite side, which is Pharaoh Ramses . My mother would scold me, I would put my hand on my waist (laughs)", he said, before finishing:

"When I grew up, I always did this to her: “Mom, Ramses has arrived”. In this review I told my brothers that this was going to be the celebration. My posture was stupid, but it was more to provoke my mother. This position he takes is one of authority, a bit harshly, I identified with the celebration", he concluded.

So, with Carlinhos at his disposal, Flamengo started preparation for the clash against Atlético-GO this Friday afternoon (26). The game will be on Sunday (28), valid for the 20th round of the Brasileirão, at 4pm.