Soccer
Conmebol defines refereeing for Internacional vs Flamengo in the Libertadores
15 Ago 2025 | 14:10
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Soccer
14 Ago 2025 | 00:27 |
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Flamengo beat Internacional 1-0 this Wednesday (13) , at Maracanã, and started with an advantage in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. Despite the positive result, striker Bruno Henrique assessed that the team lost performance in the second half and explained the reasons for the drop in intensity.
" In the second half, for the first 15 minutes , we want to score right away, and it ends up deviating a bit from what we planned at halftime. We end up being a bit exposed, and the opposing team scores a lot in the first half. In the second half, they have to open up to try to score," said the number 27.
"That's what happened against Internacional. They scored the whole time in the first half. We had more possession, more shots, and more through balls. We took possession in the first half, and in the second half, because we wanted to score quickly , we ended up opening up a bit. It's an area we have to improve on. Jorginho just told me that, so we have to try to improve even more in the first 15 minutes of the second half," he added.
The numbers back up the striker's assessment. In the first half, Flamengo largely controlled possession, registering 73% of the ball and eight shots on goal. In the second half, possession dropped to 59%, and the Rio de Janeiro team managed just two shots, compared to the Rio Grande do Sul club's four attempts.
With the victory, the red-black team needs only a draw in the second leg to guarantee a place in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores. The decisive match will be next Wednesday (20), at the Beira-Rio Stadium, in Porto Alegre . Before that, the teams will face each other again next Sunday (17), for the Brazilian Championship, again in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time).
The full-back was in agreement with Mengão in the last few months, but reached an agreement and will remain with the red-black shirt for another two years.
15 Ago 2025 | 18:40 |
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Flamengo officially renewed Guillermo Varela's contract until December 2027 this Friday (15), as previously reported by Gazeta do Urubu. . The signing took place at Ninho do Urubu, with the presence of the football technical director, José Boto.
An important player for Filipe Luís in 2025, Varela has played 35 games this season, starting 21 of them, scoring one goal and providing three assists. His versatility, also playing as a left-back and defensive midfielder, reinforces his value to the coaching staff.
Varela on the deal with Flamengo: "Everything was done very calmly"
Negotiations had been dragging on since the beginning of the year, involving discussions about contract length, bonuses, and salary . The deal ends a period of uncertainty, especially given Wesley's likely departure for European football.
"I'm very happy to stay here, a little longer wearing this shirt, with this club. It was a smooth negotiation for both parties. They wanted me to stay, and I wanted to stay . So, everything was done very smoothly," said the Uruguayan.
Since arriving at Flamengo in 2022, Varela has played 108 matches and scored three goals . During this period, he won five titles: Libertadores (2022), Copa do Brasil (2024), Supercopa (2025) and two Campeonato Cariocas (2024 and 2025).
With the ankle sprain suffered by Emerson Royal in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores, Varela should take over as starter in the next matches against Internacional . Royal is practically out of this Sunday's duel (17), for the Brasileirão, and remains doubtful for the decisive match next Wednesday (20).
The striker quickly became one of the club's highlights after his arrival, but he makes a point of praising the Mengão veteran
15 Ago 2025 | 18:30 |
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After Flamengo's 1-0 victory over Internacional in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores Round of 16, Samuel Lino made a point of praising Bruno Henrique . The striker highlighted not only the number 27's technical quality, but especially his role as a leader of the squad.
Samuel Lino on Bruno Henrique at Flamengo: "he's a great example of a player"
"Bruno is a great player who has achieved a lot for Flamengo in recent years. He's a player of great quality, but I'd rather emphasize the person he is, our captain . He's always in the locker room talking to us," said Lino, who added:
"He's a role model, and it's great to have that kind of person around, because he's always looking out for the best for the group, helping everyone. Bruno is a great example of a player, of his career, of the victories he achieved at Flamengo . I hope to achieve the same as him here at Flamengo ," said the new number 16 of the Mais Querido.
Bruno Henrique shares with Arrascaeta the title of greatest champion in the club's history , with 15 titles won: three Brazilian Championships, two Libertadores, one South American Recopa, three Super Cups, three Brazilian Cups and five Cariocas.
In the match against Internacional, the striker scored the winning goal in the 27th minute of the first half , heading in a corner kick from Luiz Araújo. The result gives Flamengo the advantage for the return leg at Beira-Rio.
After the game, Bruno Henrique assessed the team's performance: "We took possession in the first half, and in the second, because we wanted to score quickly, we ended up opening up a bit . It's something we need to improve, especially in the first 15 minutes of the second half."
Flamengo will decide its place in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores next Wednesday (20), at Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre. Before that, it will face Internacional again this Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), for the Brasileirão . Mengão is the leader of the competition with 40 points, three more than the second-placed Cruzeiro.
The Portuguese coach commanded Mengão in the historic year of 2019, but the analyst guarantees that the coach would not be able to make the current team play more
15 Ago 2025 | 17:30 |
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Flamengo is enjoying a great run of form under Filipe Luís, leading some fans to dream of a repeat of the historic 2019 season , when, under Jorge Jesus, the club won the Brasileirão and Libertadores. However, ESPN journalist Paulo Cobos considers the comparison hasty.
Paulo Cobos on the current Flamengo: "The Portuguese wouldn't make the current squad play better"
"The Flamengo of 2025 won't be as good as Jorge Jesus's 2019, and that won't be Filipe Luís's fault . The current team has many players who have rarely played professionally in Brazil. Expensive reinforcements, like Emerson Royal, have just arrived and are already being booed," he stated.
Cobos also highlighted the difference in attack: "Any quartet that Filipe Luís fields is far from the splendor of Arrascaeta, Everton Ribeiro, Bruno Henrique, and Gabigol. It's clear that Jorge Jesus, in 2019, was much more experienced than Filipe is today , but even at his peak, the Portuguese wouldn't have made the current squad play any better than that team."
Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Internacional, at Beira-Rio, for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship. Mengão is the leader of the Brasileirão with 40 points , three more than the vice-leader, Cruzeiro, but with one game less compared to the Minas Gerais club.
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