Chelsea want Real Madrid star to join them in World Cup clash with Flamengo

Flamengo's youth academy product, Lucas Paquetá, was investigated for over a year due to suspicions of involvement in sports betting. The midfielder was eventually acquitted by the courts , but could still face punishment from the English Football Association (FA) for failing to cooperate with the case.

In a statement released on Wednesday (3), the FA confirmed that it will not appeal the acquittal decision . However, it announced that Paquetá will be punished for failing to comply with Rule F3, which deals with the obligation to cooperate with investigations. The sanction should be financial, in the form of a fine, according to the English press.

The decision on the penalty will be made by the Regulatory Commission, which will release details soon. In a statement, the FA reiterated its commitment to preserving the integrity of football and conducting thorough investigations into serious allegations.

THE PAQUETÁ CASE

The investigation began in May 2024, when the FA accused the former Flamengo player of manipulating bets by forcing yellow cards in four Premier League matches : against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth. In all of them, the midfielder was cautioned.

The federation even requested Paquetá's ban, but the Regulatory Commission concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the accusation. Thus, on July 31, the player was cleared to return to the field.

FUTURE IN EUROPE

Following his acquittal, European clubs once again began to approach the Brazilian. Aston Villa (ENG) submitted a £47 million (approximately R$347 million) offer , but West Ham (ENG) rejected the offer and kept the midfielder on their roster.

PAQUETA IN THE NATIONAL TEAM

Paquetá is currently part of the Brazilian National Team, available for the match this Thursday (4) against Chile , at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, valid for the penultimate round of the Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The STJD (Superior Court of Sports Justice) Prosecutor's Office intends to use as evidence against Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique , a video in which bettor Douglas Ribeiro Pina Barcelos claims to have known in advance that the player would receive a yellow card in the game against Santos for the 2023 Brazilian Championship.

JUDGMENT

Bruno Henrique 's trial will take place this Thursday (4), by the First Disciplinary Committee of the STJD, for alleged conduct that benefited bettors. The striker was denounced under articles 243 and 243-A of the CBJD (Brazilian Code of Sports Justice) - the first deals with acting in a way that is detrimental to one's own team, and the second with acting against sporting ethics with the aim of influencing results.

VIDEO ACCESS

This week, the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) requested access from the Federal District Court to the video recorded as part of a non-prosecution agreement signed by Barcelos, who is indicted for betting on Bruno Henrique's yellow card in the Flamengo -Santos match. Barcelos admitted to the Public Prosecutor's Office that he had prior knowledge of the player's punishment .

Judge Fernando Brandini Barbagalo authorized the sharing of the material on Tuesday afternoon, following a favorable ruling from the Federal District prosecutor's office. If convicted, Bruno Henrique could be suspended for up to two years, miss 24 matches, and receive a fine of up to R$200,000 .

To avoid being prosecuted for fraud, Barcelos committed to:

• Complete 360 hours of community service
• Pay a fine of R$2,322.13
• Confess participation

Furthermore, due to the indication of a move abroad, prosecutors allowed the fine to be adjusted to R$5,500, provided he proves residency in another country . Barcelos reportedly received information about the yellow card from Wander Nunes Pinto Júnior, Bruno Henrique's brother.

Last week, Flamengo met with the Rio de Janeiro City Hall and reaffirmed its commitment to building its own stadium on the Gasômetro site, located in the Porto Maravilha region. However, the club ruled out the possibility of opening in 2029 , as initially planned.

BAP EXPLAINS THE PROJECT'S OBSTACLES

Bap on Flamengo's stadium in 2029: "It wouldn't be possible"

In an interview with Flamengo TV , president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, explained that the requirements of the public notice were the main obstacle to accelerating the project's feasibility phase. The president also emphasized that the pending issues are not as simple to resolve as the previous board tried to make them out to be:

"There were a series of conditions imposed in the bidding documents for us to move forward. As we evaluated the preconditions presented as premises in the initial project, we encountered several difficulties . Things weren't as simple, quick, or easy to implement. It wouldn't be possible for Flamengo to build this stadium and open it in 2029."

THE STADIUM WILL BE A REALITY, BUT WITHOUT RUSH

Despite the postponement of the deadline, Bap guaranteed that the Gasômetro stadium will be built , emphasizing that the project will not compromise the club's coffers nor will it require transformation into a SAF, a possibility that was considered under the previous management:

"When we went through the economic feasibility aspect, considering the current interest rates in Brazil, it became clear that to build the stadium within the agreed deadline, we would have to compromise on sporting performance. It would probably be necessary to convert Flamengo into a public utility company. We made a proposal to the City Hall and understand that the dream remains . Flamengo will have its own stadium, but not as quickly as expected."

FEASIBILITY STUDIES IN PROGRESS

The club continues its technical and economic analysis, which is considered essential to making the project a reality. According to management, the studies began about eight months ago , when Bap took over as president.

To this end, Flamengo relies on the support of specialized companies, such as FGV, Arena Venues + Events, Soloeste Engenharia Ltda. and AECOM , which assist in evaluating all aspects involved in the stadium's development.