Ceni explains how he used a Cruzeiro-inspired strategy to surprise Flamengo

Flamengo defender Danilo was sent off in the first half of the 1-0 defeat against Bahia , last Sunday (5), at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador. After the final whistle, the defender made a self-criticism and publicly apologized to his teammates and the fans . According to him, the expulsion directly compromised the team's performance.

"I want to apologize to my teammates and the Flamengo fans, because obviously, a sending-off so early affects the match and puts my teammates in a difficult and demanding situation. This is an apology to my teammates and to the fans who always support me ," he declared.

" In my opinion, I didn't hit my opponent in the face, and I tried to argue politely, as I always do. He didn't give me any openings. Perhaps, if it were against me, I would have complained too. I recognize that I could have approached the situation differently," he added.

FLAMENGO LOSES TWO PLAYERS

With the red card, Danilo is automatically suspended for Flamengo 's next Brasileirão match. The match will be against Botafogo on October 15th, at 7:30 pm, at Nilton Santos Stadium, in the Brazilian Championship . Alongside him, forward Wallace Yan, also sent off against Bahia, will be out of the team.

FLAMENGO LOSES LEADERSHIP

With the result, Flamengo dropped to second place in the table with 55 points, the same score as Palmeiras , who took the lead with one more win, a tiebreaker. Cruzeiro, with 51 points, still has a game to play in the round and could close the gap. Botafogo, the club's next opponent, is in fourth place with 43 points. Bahia, with the victory, moved up to fifth.

It was no use for Flamengo against Bahia this Sunday (5). Playing with one less player since the 13th minute of the first half , Mais Querido lost to Tricolor de Aço by 1-0 and ended a sequence of 12 unbeaten games against the Bahians, and 16 consecutive victories against coach Rogério Ceni.

FIRST HALF

The game started slowly but quickly deteriorated when Danilo was sent off in the 13th minute for a challenge on Tiago during a counterattack . Despite being ten men down, Flamengo didn't allow Bahia many chances and even had a chance to open the scoring through Samuel Lino, but Ronaldo made a great save. In the 44th minute, Willian José capitalized on a loose ball at the edge of the box and scored for the Tricolor.

SECOND HALF

Filipe Luís made three changes in the halftime break to try to equalize, but his efforts proved insufficient. Bahia even had a goal disallowed by Michel Azevedo, signaling pressure. However, Flamengo managed to hold the ball, but Wallace Yan received a second yellow card in a reckless play, leaving Flamengo with two players down , making the red-and-black mission much more difficult, which proved insufficient.

WHAT THE TABLE LOOKS LIKE

With the result, Flamengo dropped to second place in the Brasileirão with 55 points , the same number as Palmeiras, now leader, but with one fewer win than the green-and-white team, the first tiebreaker. Cruzeiro, which kicks off at 10:30 p.m. (Brasília time) with 51, and Botafogo with 43, round out the top four of the championship. Bahia moved up to fifth place.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Flamengo will now return to the field in ten days, after the FIFA World Cup, when they face Botafogo in the 28th round of the Brasileirão. The classic will be on October 15th (Wednesday), at 7:30 pm (Brasília time), at Nilton Santos Stadium, known as Engenhão . The squad is expected to have Monday off after returning to Rio de Janeiro.

Striker Michael is going through a difficult time at Flamengo . Having not played in three months since the Club World Cup, he has lost his place under coach Filipe Luís and sees his second stint with the club coming to an end .

Behind the scenes, the mood is one of dissatisfaction. Michael is reportedly upset about becoming the last option in the squad and is already seeking an immediate exit . However, a transfer this year is considered unlikely, and the trend is that he will only leave in 2026.

CORINTHIANS CONSIDERED MICHAEL, BUT THE DEAL IS COMPLICATED

Recently, reports surfaced that Corinthians coach Dorival Júnior had suggested Michael as a reinforcement for next season. The Flamengo board, however, has no intention of releasing the player easily. According to journalist Jorge Nicola, Flamengo expects to receive between €7 and €9 million (approximately R$43 to R$56 million, at the current exchange rate) to negotiate the striker—a figure that would derail the São Paulo club's interest.

With a contract until the end of 2028, the club sees no risk of losing him for free and plans to recoup part of the investment made upon his return. Corinthians, however, would only move forward with a potential negotiation if the player agreed to a significant salary reduction, currently estimated at R$1.5 million per month.

SECOND PASSAGE BELOW EXPECTATIONS

Michael's return to Flamengo in August generated great anticipation among fans. However, the striker failed to replicate the performance of his first stint. According to data from the Transfermarkt portal, the number 30 has played 145 games, scoring 29 goals and providing 19 assists for the club . Despite these impressive numbers, his recent lack of prominence and his loss of place in the squad have put his future in doubt.