With Pedro as a starter, Flamengo will have an alternative team against Botafogo-PB

Technical reference of the squad, Arrascaeta registered an expressive mark this Sunday (17). The Uruguayan midfielder reached his 100th assist with the red-black shirt by participating directly in the 3-1 victory over Internacional, in Porto Alegre.

During the match, valid for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship , the number 10 was decisive by distributing two passes that resulted in goals by Pedro and Plata, consolidating the dominance of the Rio de Janeiro team in the opening of the second half.

In addition to the 100 assists accumulated since his arrival, Arrascaeta has 14 goals and 11 assists in 2025. In the Brazilian Championship, he is the team's top scorer with 10 goals, confirming his prominence in different competitions.

FLAMENGO DEFEATS INTERNACIONAL

With the victory at Beira-Rio, the team remained undisputed at the top of the Brasileirão. Pedro, who scored twice, and Plata, who also made his mark, completed the scoring for the visiting team. The match also marked the return of Arrascaeta, who was absent from the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 against the same opponent.

FLAMENGO WILL HAVE A NEW CHALLENGE

After winning 1-0 at Maracanã in the first leg, Flamengo will face Internacional again next Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. The team enters the field with the advantage of a draw to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the continental tournament.

Flamengo confirmed this Monday (18) a new sponsorship agreement with Betano, a company in the sports betting sector. The announcement was made on the club's official social networks , a few days after the break with PixBet, a former partner.

The partnership includes men's and women's soccer, Olympic sports, and Flamengo's own communications platform, Flamengo TV . Although the contract length and value have not been disclosed, the club has received offers worth over R$200 million annually , solidifying the Mais Querido as the highest-paid team in terms of master sponsorship in Brazil.

PIXBET EXIT WAS MOTIVATED

The relationship with PixBet ended after the company experienced financial difficulties and failed to fulfill its contractual commitments. The bookmaker, which had signed an agreement in 2024 with the possibility of automatic renewal for another two years, chose not to activate the clause due to cash flow problems.

If the renewal had been exercised, Mengão would have received around R$250 million additionally , in addition to a R$50 million bonus related to the partnership with FlaBet, the club's official betting house, which will also cease its operations with the departure of PixBet.

NEW CONTRACT REINFORCES MARKET POWER

With the arrival of Betano, Flamengo reaffirms its strength in the sponsorship market and expands its international reach , as the company also sponsors major clubs in Europe and Latin America. The agreement places Flamengo in the absolute lead among Brazilian clubs in terms of amounts received per master sponsor.

Signed in this mid-year window, Saúl Ñíguez experienced a milestone this Sunday (17). For the first time since arriving in Rio de Janeiro, the Spanish midfielder played the full 90 minutes in an official match wearing the Flamengo shirt . His full debut came in the 3-1 victory over Internacional , a result that maintained the Mais Querido's good moment in the Brazilian Championship.

Saúl celebrates 90 minutes for Flamengo: "I felt good"

At the end of the game, Saúl analyzed his performance, acknowledging improvement but still urging caution regarding his physical condition. "I felt good. Of course, I still lack rhythm, many things . Little by little, I'll regain my confidence. In many plays, I could have taken more risks, but I preferred to keep the ball and play more calmly. But I'm happy. It's a shame about the last goal; I wanted to keep the score after a great match. It was a shame," he declared.

SPANISH VALUES REGULARITY

With the victory, Flamengo extended its winning streak against the Gauchos. They had two consecutive victories in less than a week against the same opponent . Now, the next meeting between the teams will be in the Copa Libertadores, at Beira-Rio, in a match that will determine a spot in the quarterfinals.

Saúl highlighted the importance of the recent result for the squad's confidence. " Yes, of course, it gives confidence. We've already won two matches against them, we've been solid , balanced. In the Libertadores, at home, the second half cost us. But we showed that we can maintain the rhythm, maintain the game, in both halves. And we have to keep it up," the Spaniard assessed.

FLAMENGO FACE INTER AGAIN

With the aggregate advantage after the 1-0 victory at Maracanã, the Rio de Janeiro team will have the opportunity to confirm their qualification away from home. The match against Internacional takes place this Wednesday (20), again at Beira-Rio, where Mengão will try to repeat their solidity and seal their place in the quarterfinals of the continental tournament.