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Controversies always seem to surround Flamengo, and yet another unexpected piece of news involving the club came to light this Wednesday (18), this time related to women's football. Rubro-Negro was condemned by the courts in a case brought by six former players, with a decision that surprised everyone.

The action, which had been ongoing since 2021, resulted in a conviction worth R$3.2 million. According to information from Uol, the names of the players were not revealed, but they were released during the reformulation of the sport in 2022 and were seeking recognition of a professional bond with Flamengo.

Flamengo, which maintains a partnership with the Brazilian Navy did not pay the athletes directly, as they were third sergeants. They played for the club between 2015 and 2021, a period in which they won the Brazilian Women's Championship. However, the players argued that the practice adopted by the club and the Navy was irregular, according to the partnership contract.

“An item in the cooperation term made it clear that the Navy would not provide financial resources, nor would it carry out the direct transfer of facilities. Flamengo was intentionally omitted to pay the athletes”, guarantees lawyer Rafael Cunha.

Despite the initial decision, Flamengo can still appeal. The Regional Labor Court of Rio de Janeiro unanimously understood that Flamengo benefited from the situation and determined that the club must record the athletes' contributions in their Work Cards, in addition to paying the due salaries and other labor obligations.

In addition to these six players, eight others also filed lawsuits against Flamengo for the same reason, but their trials have not yet taken place. In response to Uol, the club commented on the case:

“Of the nine legal actions involving former Navy athletes and coaches, eight had court decisions removing the employment relationship with the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, considering that these are exclusively third-level Navy sergeants”, he says.

Last week, children who practice judo in the social project Jogaremos Juntos, promoted by Flamengo's Social Responsibility, had an unforgettable experience. They visited the club's headquarters, in Gávea, and trained alongside Flamengo's judo teachers and athletes, experiencing a day full of learning, discipline and sportsmanship.

In total, 70 children, from centers of Cantagalo and Queimados, had the chance to practice judo under the guidance of high-level professionals, reinforcing the values ​​of the sport, such as respect, determination and teamwork.

At the dojô, the children were welcomed by the coach of the under-13 and under-15 red-black judo teams, Rodrigo Domiciano, who, together with club athletes, shared his experiences and spoke about the importance of dedication to progress in the sport. “In the midst of so many negative references, it is essential that these children have positive references. Here they can see that it is possible to reach a higher degree, seek a black belt, seek important competitions and this will change their realities”, he said.

For many, the day was a unique opportunity to become inspire, dream big and continue following the path of sport. “The children came very excited. They've been talking about coming here to Flamengo for a week. It's important for them to be here, in a different place, with so much structure... This all makes them want to dedicate themselves more”, said professor Alves, who teaches judo at Jogaremos Juntos - Núcleo Queimados. Cantagalo resident Leda Maria Pereira de Macedo, mother of student Davi, added. “Children who live in communities need sports so they don't get lost and judo has already got my son back on track. He now has discipline, he has become another child! Davi takes a shower, goes to bed early... I'm very happy. I'm very grateful to have the project there”, she praised.

With its own methodology, Jogaremos Juntos is an education project through sport, based on socio-emotional skills. Through it, children and young people have the opportunity to work on self-knowledge, resilience, empathy, focus and other skills that they learn from sports and put into practice to face and overcome challenges in life, whether at school, in family or with friends.

In total, the project serves 800 children in six communities in Rio de Janeiro - Cantagalo Pavão Pavãozinho, Complexo do Alemão, Vila Aliança, Morro do Banco, Santa Cruz and Queimados - with classes football, judo, basketball, artistic gymnastics and volleyball. The project is encouraged by the Federal Sports Incentive Law and has Shell as a sponsor.

Last Thursday (19), left-back Alex Sandro returned to play in a football match Libertadores after 13 years of absence. However, the return did not go as he expected. Starting in Flamengo's 1-0 defeat to Peñarol (URU), at Maracanã, the player highlighted that the red-black team was caught in the defensive strategy set up by the opponent. Despite the negative result, Alex Sandro expressed optimism regarding the possibility of qualifying in the second leg, which will be played in Montevideo next Thursday (26).

In his statements after the game, the full-back acknowledged that Flamengo was unable to impose its style of play. According to him, the team fell into the "trap" prepared by Peñarol, who knew how to take advantage of the mistakes made by the Brazilian team. However, Alex Sandro made a point of highlighting that the team will be prepared for the decisive clash away from home.

"More from What to say, we have to do it. We know that we didn't present our best football today. We often entered the game that Peñarol wanted, we forgot to play our football, what we train, with the quality we probably have. The next game will be different, but we will face it, face the environment, which is very difficult to play in. However, we have experienced players and we will be prepared", said the number 26.

The point highlighted by Alex Sandro. reflects well what the match was like. Peñarol's coach, Diego Aguirre, put together a strategy based on a strong rebound, waiting for Flamengo to make mistakes before counterattacking. The plan worked. In the 12th minute of the first half, midfielder Erick Pulgar missed a pass in midfield, and Peñarol took advantage of the opportunity. Javier Cabrera didn't waste anything and scored the only goal of the game, guaranteeing the Uruguayan team's victory.

Throughout the match, Flamengo demonstrated difficulties in breaking through Peñarol's defensive block. The Brazilian team had more possession of the ball, but was unable to transform this dominance into clear scoring chances. The lack of creativity and individual failures weighed on the final result. Jorge Sampaoli's team was unable to find solutions to overcome the opposing defense and ended up suffering from a lack of effectiveness in attack.

This Thursday's game also marked a curious reunion for Alex Sandro. The full-back had not played in a Libertadores match since June 2011, when he was still playing for Santos. On that occasion, the opponent was the same Peñarol. However, the result was very different. In the 2011 final, Santos won 2-1 and won the continental competition title. This time, the outcome was bitter for the full-back and his current club, Flamengo.

The 13-year difference between the two matches shows the long period in which Alex Sandro was away from South America's main club competition. In the meantime, the player built a solid career in Europe, playing for clubs such as Porto and Juventus, before returning to Brazilian football to play for Flamengo. Now, he is trying to find success again in the Libertadores, but he will face a complicated challenge in the return game against Peñarol.