Soccer
18 Jul 2025 | 10:03 |
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Flamengo's loss to Santos in the last round knocked them out of the lead. Cruzeiro, which beat Fluminense, took the lead with 30 points—three more than the Rubro-Negro. Under Filipe Luís's leadership, Flamengo needs a positive result to prevent the Minas Gerais team from growing in advantage. The pressure is intense, especially against a direct rival and a referee with a controversial history.
Raphael Claus is considered one of the country's top referees. But with Flamengo, his numbers and decisions raise questions. He has refereed 44 Flamengo matches, with numerous criticisms involving penalty calls and red cards. Most of the controversies occurred in classic matches. Check out some of the controversies below:
Penalty on Léo Pereira (2024): Claus awarded a controversial penalty to Fluminense. Marquinhos was off-balance, but the penalty was awarded. The game ended 2-0 to Fluminense—Filipe Luís's first loss as coach.
Goal wrongly disallowed against Vasco (2023): At São Januário, Pedro scored and had the goal disallowed for questionable offside. VAR confirmed the decision, but the footage was unconvincing.
Red card for Gabigol (2022): In a derby against Botafogo, Claus sent off Gabigol for complaining. The decision was criticized as excessive.
VAR review ignored (2021): In the Fla-Flu match, Claus did not go to the monitor to review a possible clear penalty on Bruno Henrique. The refereeing committee later acknowledged the error.
Questionable fouling practices (several games): Recurring complaints about different criteria for opposing teams, especially in physical situations. On social media, the #ForaClaus trend returned to the spotlight after the refereeing decision for the Fla-Flu match was announced. Fans cite "bias" in decisions that harm the club in decisive moments.
It's not just controversies. Some of Claus 's decisions have directly impacted defeats, points losses, and even eliminations. In tight matches, a refereeing error can define the outcome. With Claus, the fans' confidence level is practically zero. Claus's appointment raises questions about the CBF's judgment.
Right-back leaves Mais Querido after a remarkable spell and highlights a mixture of gratitude and sadness upon accepting an offer from Roma, in July 2025
08 Set 2025 | 15:37 |
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Right-back Wesley ended his career at Flamengo after 136 appearances, four goals, and six assists, leaving the club with "a full heart." In an interview with GOAT, the player spoke about the mix of happiness and sadness upon accepting the transfer to Roma , fulfilling his dream of playing in Europe.
" I said I wouldn't be sad. But that day, it felt like I was saying goodbye, and part of me was. A horrible feeling, of sadness. I called my wife... ", the athlete revealed.
The player acknowledged that his departure was also due to a turbulent time at Flamengo , but highlighted that the experience at Gávea was essential for his growth as an athlete and as a person .
Roma invested €25 million (R$161.4 million at the time) plus €5 million (R$32.2 million) in targets to secure Wesley. Despite having played in only two matches for the Italian club so far, the full-back has already demonstrated his attacking ability, scoring a goal while playing in defense.
Flamengo returned to training last Friday afternoon (5), at Ninho do Urubu, after receiving four days off, and began preparing for the rest of the season. Rubro-Negro returns to the field on September 14 to face Juventude , at 4 pm, at Alfredo Jaconi, for the 23rd round of the Brasileirão.
With the aim of maintaining a competitive group for the season, the Mais Querido board is looking to renew contracts and strengthen the team.
08 Set 2025 | 14:55 |
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After focusing on Arrascaeta, Flamengo now turns its attention to goalkeeper Agustín Rossi. A regular starter, Rossi has the coach's full confidence and represents a key player in the Rubro-Negro's sporting project . According to reports, the board is seeking to extend his contract to ensure stability in the position.
Meanwhile, the club is also monitoring the market. A new goalkeeper is being sought to eventually replace Matheus Cunha , who is not in the plans and has already agreed a pre-contract with Cruzeiro for next season.
During a press conference last month, the number 1 preferred to be cautious when commenting on the topic. "These are things that are being discussed, but nothing is resolved yet. Obviously, on a personal level, I'm very happy at Flamengo, very content. I hope to stay here for many years, but these are things that will evolve," said the Argentine.
Negotiations with Adidas and Betano aren't limited to marketing: they directly impact Flamengo's ability to maintain competitive salaries and retain talent . Financial and sporting alignment is considered vital for the club to continue competing for titles and maintaining its strength in Brazilian football.
After signing the largest master sponsorship in Brazilian football, Rubro-Negro began negotiations to review values with the supplier
08 Set 2025 | 13:54 |
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Flamengo's board believes the impact of the deal with Betano has changed the club's market position. Therefore, the board has opened negotiations to update the amounts received from Adidas , its sports equipment supplier since 2013.
The contract was recently renewed and runs until 2029. Currently, it guarantees Flamengo a minimum salary of R$44 million per season, paid in three annual installments. With performance targets and bonuses, revenue could approach R$90 million per year , with a projected average of around R$70 million. These figures are expected to be revised to reflect the club's growth.
At the start of the season, Flamengo signed the largest master sponsorship deal in Brazilian football history with Betano. The fixed value is R$268.5 million annually, with potential increases to nearly R$1 billion when bonuses for performance, sales, and engagement are factored in.
The package includes contributions on different fronts:
Football: R$220 million fixed per year
Olympic sports: R$12 million
Properties such as LEDs and VIP boxes: R$ 10 million
Flamengo TV: R$10 million
Retail: R$10 million fixed, plus participation in the sale of uniforms and new customer registrations.
While taking care of commercial issues, the team led by Filipe Luís focuses on the Brasileirão. The next commitment will be this Sunday (14), at 4 pm, against Juventude , at the Alfredo Jaconi stadium, for the 23rd round of the competition.
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