THE BEAST HAS ARRIVED! CREATION OF THE NEST, VINI JÚNIOR INTRODUCES TO THE BRAZILIAN SELECTION

Flamengo opened this Wednesday (27) the preparation for the duel against Grêmio , scheduled for Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. The match pits teams in opposite situations against each other: Rubro-Negro leads the competition, while the Gauchos are at the bottom of the table .

Mano Menezes on the match: "It's harder to play against Flamengo at Maracanã"

DIFFERENCE IS NOT UNUSUAL

Coach Mano Menezes, leading the Tricolor team, commented on the challenge and highlighted the financial disparity between the clubs . He believes the situation is natural and similar to what happens in other parts of the world.

"I see it as natural. This has been happening all over the world for many years. The Europeans are far ahead of the others. The two largest in Spain are always far ahead , as are those in England, which invest billions. We need to fight with other weapons," he said.

GREATER DIFFICULTY AT MARACANÃ

Despite the difference in investment and the historical difficulty of facing Flamengo at Maracanã, Mano Menezes emphasized his confidence in his squad's ability: "All of Brazil knows it's harder to play against Flamengo at Maracanã, and Rio Grande do Sul knows that too. We'll work the same way we do against any opponent . They're one of the best teams and squads in Brazil, but we're capable of facing them," he added.

TEAMS MOMENT

With 46 points from 20 games, Flamengo leads the Brasileirão, four points ahead of second place. Filipe Luís's team also boasts the best attack and the tightest defense in the competition . Grêmio, on the other hand, has 24 points and sits in 14th place.

After agreeing to a contract renewal with right-back Varela, Flamengo is now focusing its efforts on Filipe Luís . The board has already presented a proposal to the coach , and according to ge, both the club and the coach are interested in continuing the contract.

Filipe Luís's current contract expires in December 2025 , and the plan is to extend his stay for another season. However, talks are expected to progress only after the end of the current campaign. A contract is expected to run until the end of 2027, but that's not the initial plan.

TRAJECTORY IN COMMAND OF RUBRO-NEGRO

Filipe Luís took over the team in September 2024, after Tite's departure, and quickly won titles . Under his leadership, Flamengo won the Copa do Brasil against Atlético-MG, the Campeonato Carioca against Fluminense, and the Supercopa do Brasil against Botafogo. The team is also leading the Brasileirão and is already in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores.

BALANCE OF THE PASSAGE

Despite his successes, the coach also suffered disappointments: elimination to Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup and defeat to Atlético-MG on penalties in the 2025 Copa do Brasil. Even so, the record is positive: since taking over, Filipe Luís has only suffered six defeats in charge of Flamengo .

NEXT APPOINTMENT

While they are still discussing the new contract, Filipe Luís is preparing the Flamengo team for the team's next challenge in the Brasileirão. Mengão hosts Grêmio at Maracanã this Sunday (25) . The match is scheduled for 4 pm (Brasília time) and will be broadcast on Rede Globo (open TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view).

Youngster Lorran is very close to leaving Flamengo for Pisa in Italy on loan. Negotiations have progressed in recent days and have included a detail that could determine the midfielder's future: an obligation to buy clause .

Under the agreement, the Italian club will pay €500,000 (approximately R$3.1 million) for the loan until the end of 2026. If Lorran starts at least 50% of the matches during that period, Pisa will be obliged to acquire him permanently for €4 million (approximately R$25.3 million).

If the target isn't met, the Italians will not be obligated to do so, but they can exercise the right to purchase the player for the same amount. In both scenarios, Pisa would retain 50% of the economic rights, while Flamengo would retain the other half, ensuring the possibility of profit on a future transfer . This information was revealed by journalist Venê Casagrande.

TRIP THIS WEEK

With the documentation already exchanged between the clubs, the expectation is that the deal will be officialized in the coming days . If there are no legal obstacles, Lorran should travel on Thursday (28) to introduce himself to the new club.

A product of Ninho, the midfielder played 36 matches for Flamengo's first team, including 27 in 2024, scoring two goals. In 2025, he was reinstated to the U-20s and no longer had a place in Filipe Luís's squad . His last appearance for the senior team was in May, when he came on as a second-half substitute against Botafogo-PB at Maracanã in the Copa do Brasil.

MEANWHILE, THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP CONTINUES

While taking care of the youngster's transfer, Flamengo focuses its efforts on the duel against Grêmio, for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão . The game will be on Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. The Mais Querido leads the competition, while the Gauchos occupy the 14th position.