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Flamengo was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil by Atlético-MG , this Wednesday (06), at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte. After the 1-0 victory in normal time and defeat on penalties, coach Filipe Luís showed irritation when asked about a possible drop in the team's performance after the Club World Cup.

Filipe Luís on Flamengo's bad form after the World Cup: "This is absurd, a lie"

"This week I've been following some narratives saying that Flamengo is in bad shape after the World Cup. They take 600 minutes of football and reduce it to one sentence . This is absurd, a lie. Against São Paulo, we played a complete and dominant game. The first half against Ceará was a spectacle. Against Santos, we also started well. Against Fluminense, they didn't have a shot on goal," said the coach.

Filipe then also defended the work done against difficult opponents and criticized simplistic analyses.

"I challenge you to see how many defeats Cuca has suffered in the last five years to understand that it's not easy to play against a team he coaches. Summing it all up in one sentence makes no sense. My team is fine. There will be good days and bad days, absences, injuries... The important thing is to know what's being done on the field . The group believes in the idea. This isn't about an isolated moment. When we beat Galo in the Brasileirão, they said we were leaders after the World Cup," he added.

HOW IS FLAMENGO AFTER THE WORLD CUP?

Since the end of the Club World Cup, Flamengo has played eight matches, with five wins, one draw (against Ceará) and two defeats, one of which was against Atlético-MG, which sealed their elimination from the Copa do Brasil.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

In normal time, Flamengo won 1-0, with a goal from Everton Cebolinha , equaling the score from the first leg . However, in the penalty shootout, the red-and-black team was defeated. Samuel Lino and Wallace Yan missed their shots, sealing Atlético-MG's qualification.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Eliminated from the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo now turns its focus to the Campeonato Brasileiro. The next game takes place this Saturday (09), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Mirassol, at Maracanã . Mengão is the leader of the Brasileirão with 37 points, the same number as Cruzeiro, in second place, but with one game less than the Minas Gerais team.

On Wednesday night (06), Flamengo beat Atlético-MG 1-0 at Arena MRV , in Belo Horizonte, in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil. With the same score as the first leg, but in favor of Rubro-Negro, the decision of the spot was left to the penalty shootout . In the penalties, the Minas Gerais team was more efficient and advanced to the semifinals.

Despite a strong performance over the 90 minutes, the result wasn't enough. In the penalty shootout, Atlético-MG converted four of their five attempts, while Mengão missed a penalty each from Wallace Yan and Samuel Lino.

FILIPE LUÍS JUSTIFIES CHOICE

After the end of the match, Filipe Luís, who led the team in the coach's absence , commented on the starting lineup and explained that the decisions were made based on the physical conditions of the available athletes.

"The decision on the starting lineup first involved some who didn't travel, Bruno Henrique and Luiz Araújo, who weren't fit to play , were barred. Some couldn't start because they were on vacation, like Lino, Royal, and Saúl," said Filipe Luís .

"Arrascaeta felt discomfort in the last game. And I put together a team with the players I have, just like in the first game , enough to win and play a great game. That's how they did it," said the coach.

ATTENTION TURNS TO THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Now out of the Copa do Brasil competition, the Rio team's focus is now fully on the Brazilian Championship . Next Saturday (09), Mengão hosts Mirassol at Maracanã, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), for the 18th round of the competition.

On Wednesday night (06), Flamengo beat Atlético-MG 1-0 at Arena MRV , reversing the disadvantage of the first leg and equalizing the match at 1-1 on aggregate . The decision of the spot was left to penalties, where the Minas Gerais team got the best and stamped its passport to the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil.

With a strong performance, the Rubro-Negro dominated most of the match, creating clear chances, and finding the net with Pedro in the second half. However, their efficiency in penalty kicks made the difference: while Atlético-MG converted four of their five kicks, Wallace Yan missed the last one for the Rio de Janeiro team, sealing their elimination.

FILIPE LUÍS COMES TO THE DEFENSE OF WALLACE YAN

After the match ended, coach Filipe Luís showed support for Wallace Yan, who missed the decisive penalty . For the experienced player, the youngster demonstrated character by taking responsibility at such a crucial moment.

"He's a player with a lot of personality. He doesn't hide, he's not shy around anyone. He's been the center of attention, but Lyanco isn't a saint, and neither are Everson or Hulk. They provoke. They get involved in these game things," he said before concluding.

"In high-performance football, no one wants to lose. And that's how it is. As long as there's no violence, it's fine. Both teams want to win. Atlético-MG won. Wallace played a great game, he did what was in the game plan. He has personality and a great future ahead of him," said Filipe.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT COMMITMENT

With the elimination in the Copa do Brasil, the focus now turns completely to the Brazilian Championship . On Saturday (09), Flamengo hosts Mirassol at Maracanã, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), for the 18th round of the tournament.