With little creativity, Flamengo suffers defeat to Atlético-MG at Maracanã

With little time left before he is officially presented as Flamengo's reinforcement for the rest of the season, midfielder Jorge Carrascal arrives at the club having played for some of the biggest clubs in world football and a physical history that deserves attention — especially given the problems he faced at the beginning of his career.

HISTORY OF INJURIES

The Colombian has faced several injuries over the years, although he has recently become more consistent. The most serious episode occurred in the 2016/17 season, when he suffered a torn meniscus during stints with Sevilla Atlético (the Spanish club's B team) and Karpaty Lviv in Ukraine. During that time, Carrascal was sidelined for 315 days and missed 40 official matches —a significant milestone in his professional career.

In subsequent years, injuries became less frequent and had a lesser impact. In the 2022/23 season, now playing for CSKA Moscow , the player had two absences: a foot injury that sidelined him for two matches and another unspecified injury in May that kept him out of the field for nine days. In total, he missed three games that season.

The concern returned the following season, 2023/24, when a knee injury sidelined him for 43 days , causing him to miss eight matches for the Russian club. Since then, Carrascal has not suffered any further injuries and has been healthy ever since.

HEALTH ON THE RISE

In total, Carrascal has missed 51 games due to injury throughout his career —most of them still in his early stages. In recent years, despite some occasional issues, the Colombian has demonstrated good recovery and has not experienced any recurrence of chronic injuries.

Upon his arrival, Flamengo began a detailed physical monitoring program to ensure the midfielder is fully capable of contributing technically . The coaching staff believes that, in an organized environment with controlled physical activity, Carrascal can perform consistently at a high level, minimizing risks.

Samuel Lino's debut with the Flamengo shirt was not a victory , but the striker left a good impression . He came on in the second half of the match against Atlético-MG, this Thursday (31), at Maracanã, for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. Despite the 1-0 defeat, the number 17 showed confidence for the return match and spoke about the experience of playing in Brazilian football as a professional for the first time.

Samuel Lino on his debut at Flamengo: "I felt really good"

"I felt great. At first, I was a little confused; it's all new to me . I'd never played professionally in Brazil. But little by little, I adapted, feeling better and more comfortable on the field. Physically, I'm fine," said Lino.

Despite the setback, the debutant assured that the group remains focused on the decisive match: "We didn't get the win today, but the 1-0 score doesn't change our mentality. We're going to Belo Horizonte to seek qualification . Of course, it would have been special to debut with a goal, maybe even an equalizer, but unfortunately it didn't happen. Maybe in the next game. I'll work towards that," he added.

WHAT DID SAMUEL LINO DO IN HIS DEBUT?

Samuel Lino came on in the 15th minute of the second half, replacing Matheus Gonçalves, and brought new momentum to the red-and-black attack. With his speed and skill, he caused problems for Atlético's defense . In the 36th minute, he crossed to Emerson Royal, who hit the post. In stoppage time, he managed to score a goal, but the referee ruled him offside.

WHEN IS THE RETURN BETWEEN FLAMENGO AND ATLÉTICO-MG?

Flamengo will have the mission of reversing the disadvantage next Wednesday (06), at 7 pm (Brasília time), at Arena MRV. Before that, the team led by Filipe Luís visits Ceará on Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm, at Arena Castelão, for the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship.

Flamengo was defeated by Atlético-MG 1-0 , last Thursday (31), at Maracanã, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. In addition to the setback, the team's performance generated criticism from the fans, mainly due to the apparent fragility in the midfield. After the game, coach Filipe Luís explained that the “hole” in the central strip was, in fact, a tactical choice .

Filipe Luís on Flamengo's strategy against Atlético-MG: "This space was intentional"

"The hole in midfield was part of our game plan. The defensive midfielders were positioned, and that space was intentional to attract marking and create openings for infiltration. At times, it worked. We were able to find passes inside because Atlético allows that type of play. They mark man-to-man and rely on winning duels to block vertical passes . This type of match generates a lot of transitions, with constant back-and-forth passing. That's why Jorginho would occupy the same space as Evertton Araújo or Allan," explained the coach.

Filipe also commented on the play that resulted in the winning goal: "The goal came from a passing error. Léo Ortiz was free, but the ball didn't reach him. It happens. Every game, we prepare different ways to move the ball around, based on the specific tactical plan . Unfortunately, today's error led to the goal, but I don't see it as a serious problem. Risk is part of our style and will always exist. The important thing is to correct it so it doesn't happen again," he added.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

The only goal of the match was scored by Cuello in the second half, after Flamengo failed to clear the ball. The subpar performance, coupled with the defensive error, caused dissatisfaction among fans . Now, Flamengo needs to win by two goals in Belo Horizonte to advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT COMMITMENT

With the Copa do Brasil on hold, Flamengo turns its attention to the Brazilian Championship. Filipe Luís' team faces Ceará this Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Castelão, for the 19th round of the national competition.