David Luiz believes in Flamengo's classification against Peñarol

Flamengo's phase in 2024 is far from ideal, but, according to journalist Rodrigo Mattos, there are reasons that go beyond Tite's work to explain the performance below expectations. In his column on UOL, the reporter highlighted some factors that are harming the club and preventing it from reaching its full potential this season.

Although Tite bears his share of responsibility, Mattos argues that the problems are broader and cannot be attributed to the coach alone. One of the main factors mentioned is the tight Brazilian football calendar, which affects all clubs. “After the Copa América, without starters, Tite started to dedicate himself more to putting out fires than putting together a team”, stated the journalist.

In addition, the bad pitches in several stadiums and the low The quality of arbitration also contributes to leveling the playing field. “The pitches are bad and prevent fast play or are artificial, which changes the pace of the game. Then there are the Brazilian and South American referees who stop the game with excessive fouls, are permissive with wax and violence”, wrote Rodrigo Mattos.

Injuries harmed Flamengo in 2024

Another important point raised by Rodrigo Mattos are injuries, which hit Flamengo significantly in 2024. Striker Pedro, one of the team's main players, is out of the season after a serious injury, and other names like Viña and Cebolinha are also out they will not return before 2025. Michael, who arrived to reinforce the team in the second semester, and Luiz Araújo also suffered injuries at crucial moments, compromising the team's performance.

“Tite has his responsibility in the OR, but the season took five of his main players off the team. Two others, Arrascaeta and De La Cruz, play at a physical level well below their real level. It is impossible to even imagine what the team would be like at full strength.”

Rodrigo Mattos concludes his analysis by asking for a broader assessment of the scenario and criticizes the coach's resignation requests, highlighting that the problems faced by Flamengo they go beyond Tite and involve a series of factors that need to be considered.

“Yes, there should be a discussion about this scenario imposed on all teams and how it impoverishes national football. But it’s easier to ask the technician on duty to resign”, he concludes.

Train the Flamengois the dream of many players and, outside the pitch, the same desire exists among football coaches. Among these coaches, a prominent name is Geninho, Brazilian champion with Athletico-PR in 2001. In a recent interview on the program 'Mesa Redonda', on TV Gazeta, the coach revealed that, if he had the opportunity to lead Flamengo , his career would be complete.

Even with his extensive CV and spells at major Brazilian football clubs, such as Corinthians, Botafogo, Vasco, Santos and Atlético-MG, Geninho never had the chance to coach Flamengo. Even so, the coach cherishes the memory of having worked with one of the biggest idols of the red and black fans: Dejan Petkovic. The Serbian, who is an important figure in the club's history, was led by Geninho at three different times: Vitória (1998), Vasco (2004) and Atlético-MG (2008).

FLAMENGO HAS HIS MAIN PRAISED ACHIEVEMENTS

In addition to his achievements at Athletico-PR and Corinthians, Geninho accumulated several state titles for clubs in the Northeast, Central-West and South of Brazil. Despite this, Flamengo remains an “unfulfilled desire” in the career of the veteran coach, who has been without a club since 2022, when he left Vitória.

While Geninho reflects on his career and the dream of coaching the Flamengo , the club is experiencing a new era under the command of Tite, a coach renowned for his work in the Brazilian National Team and in major clubs such as Corinthians, where he won major titles such as the Libertadores and the Club World Cup. Tite took over Flamengo at a decisive moment in the season, with the club still competing in the Brazilian Championship and international competitions.

Currently, Flamengo is divided between two fronts. This Sunday (22), the red and black reserves, led by technical assistant Matheus Bachi, face Grêmio, in Porto Alegre, in the 27th round of the Brasileirão. Tite, in turn, is focused on preparations for the clash against Peñarol (URU), which takes place on Thursday (26), in the Sudamericana. This division of attention reflects the high level of demand and the need for careful strategic planning to handle all competitions.

After Flamengo's defeat to Grêmio this Sunday (22), David Luiz gave an interview on the way out of the field and regretted that the team had not emerged victorious despite having dominated almost the entire match.

“Without a doubt. I'm more frustrated by the result, by the boys' delivery. Suddenly this opportunity arose, they work hard, how dedicated they were, even with one man less. We tried at all costs to win the match, we had opportunities to do so, we had the control to do so, I think they created much less than us, despite being effective. So it's this frustration, the frustration that today could be a great opportunity for us to win the three points here and show the strength of the squad”, began the defender.

Throughout the game, Mais Querido had 56% ball possession and shot at the opponent's goal 18 times, compared to Grêmio's 13 shots. The midfield even created great chances with Matheus Gonçalves, Lorran and Alcaraz, but they were unable to achieve them.

DAVID LUIZ HIGHLIGHTS THAT THE GROUP CONTINUES TO BELIEVE IN THE BRASILEIRÃO TITLEDavid Luiz was also asked about the team's confidence in the Brasileirão and whether there is the option of focusing on just the cups, as Mais Querido is 11 points behind leader Botafogo. However, the defender denied this and assured that the team continues to believe in the competition title.

“Flamengo is Flamengo, we have to prioritize all competitions. Within the daily analysis of tiredness, of all things, of who is ready to play. But I think the group responded well today to the level of quality. There's a little lack of rapport, a little more rhythm in the game for many, but here's the dedication, the race, and as long as we have the opportunity to fight up there, we have to fight, we don't have to take anything for granted”, he said, before completing:

“Football changes very quickly, last year showed this a lot, and if we had scored more in the last rounds of last year, we could have won the title. So it’s about fighting until the end.”