BACK TO WORK! TITE STARTS FLAMENGO'S PREPARATION FOR THE CARIOCA FINAL THIS WEDNESDAY

A Flamengo fan since he was a child, Danilo had to play in Portugal, Spain, Italy and England before returning to his roots. The defender's signing with Flamengo was not just another chapter in the player's successful career. For him, it was the end of an emotional cycle that began in Bicas, a city in Minas Gerais where he grew up surrounded by Flamengo fans.

During an interview with FIFA, in preparation for the new format of the Club World Cup, the defender went beyond the competition and delved into fond memories of Flamengo. Among them, Petkovic's legendary goal in the 2001 Carioca final . "After that goal, I didn't see anything else. I ran out into the street... I didn't watch the game again. My family is Flamengo, everyone is Flamengo", he said, with a nostalgic smile.

"That last step was missing" - said Danilo in an interview with FIFA

MOMENT OF ADMIRATION

At the time, Danilo was only nine years old. He was already a fan of Romário, but it was Pet's three-finger shot, in the 43rd minute of the second half, that immortalized the feeling. The title-winning goal against Vasco is in the memory of millions of fans — and for Danilo, it was a turning point. Despite his consolidated career, with stints at Real Madrid, Manchester City and Juventus, the defender made it clear that there was still a space to be filled in his professional journey. And that space had a name, color and fans.

A DREAM COME TRUE

“Even though I had fulfilled a million dreams and played for the biggest clubs in European football, there was still one last important step missing – wearing the Flamengo jersey,” he said. The warm welcome from the fans and the routine at the Ninho do Urubu training center had an impact on Danilo from the very first few days. The defender says that, as he walked through the corridors of the training center, a “movie” played in his head when he saw a specific photo on the wall.

“When I arrived at Ninho, it was a very special moment. There are several photos on the wall. Some of them, especially the one of Petkovic, played like a movie in my head,” he recalled. The symbolic weight of his arrival at Flamengo is also reinforced by the cultural change that Danilo feels in the stands . Accustomed to the more restrained behavior of European fans, he is impressed by the energy of the Nation at Maracanã.

According to information initially released by ge and confirmed by other sources, Fluminense has opened talks to try to count on Marcelo Lomba during this window. The club understands that it needs an experienced option to share minutes with Fábio, 44 years old, an absolute starter, but with an advanced age for the upcoming calendar.

The Laranjeiras board sees Lomba as a suitable profile: experienced, used to big games and with no space at Palmeiras. At Verdão, the number 42 is Weverton's immediate backup and has a contract until December 2025. Despite this, an immediate departure is not ruled out. In order to release the goalkeeper, Palmeiras requires the arrival of a replacement first.

AN OLD NAME

The preferred name of Abel Ferreira 's coaching staff is Gabriel Grando, currently at Grêmio. The assessment at the São Paulo club is that it will only be possible to negotiate Lomba with the guarantee of an immediate replacement, so as not to weaken the squad during the final stretch of the season. The negotiations are still in their early stages, but there is optimism on Flu's part.

A NEW MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER

Marcelo Lomba is looking forward to the chance to play more minutes on the field and play in a major international competition. Since joining Palmeiras in 2022, he has only played 16 games — always as a reserve for Weverton. At 38 years old, Lomba is in a similar situation to Fábio, but with a slightly more favorable scenario in terms of minutes.

Fluminense 's plan is clear: to have two experienced goalkeepers taking turns in strategic matches, especially considering the marathon of matches that includes the Brazilian Championship, the Brazilian Cup and the World Cup itself. Despite his age, Marcelo Lomba's staff understands that he still has fuel left in him. Internally, there is a conviction that he can be useful both as an occasional starter and as a leader in the dressing room.

Bruno Henrique started the 2-1 victory over Bahia last Sunday (11) and was replaced in the 34th minute of the second half by Everton Cebolinha. The change raised a red flag due to the way the striker left the field. According to an investigation carried out by Coluna do Fla, the striker did not feel any injury . The substitution was due to natural physical fatigue, without any type of muscular complaint or sign of injury.

NOT EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL

In the reappearance this Monday (12), Bruno Henrique participated normally in the activities at Ninho do Urubu. The work was regenerative for the starters who played for more than 45 minutes against Bahia, and the number 27 was integrated into the group, without restrictions. His presence in the training is seen as a positive sign for him to be a starter in the duel against LDU, in the fourth round of the group stage of the Libertadores.

If Bruno Henrique's situation has reassured the coaching staff, the same cannot be said of Erick Pulgar and Allan . The defensive midfield duo is out of Thursday's game. Both suffered minor muscle injuries in their right thighs and will not be available for the match. The information was confirmed after tests carried out on Monday.

A PROBLEM IN SIGHT

The tendency is that both will be re-evaluated throughout the week, but they have already been ruled out for the Libertadores. The medical department has not yet given an exact return date. The coaching staff will have two more training sessions before the match against LDU. The training sessions will take place on Tuesday (13) and Wednesday (14), both in the morning, at Ninho do Urubu.

The expectation is that Filipe Luís will use these training sessions to put together the ideal team without Pulgar and Allan. The replacements should be between Léo Ortiz, who has already played as a defensive midfielder, and the young Evertton Araújo. Bruno Henrique, on the other hand, is in front to start playing again, forming the attacking trio alongside Pedro and Luiz Araújo.