Soccer
12 Mai 2025 | 14:10 |
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At 40 years old, referee Andrés Rojas will be taking charge of a Flamengo match for the fourth time in his career. Rojas has already been involved in important matches for the club in continental tournaments, with performances without major negative repercussions so far. The Colombian's history with Flamengo includes three matches. Two of them took place in the group stages of the Libertadores itself: the 2-2 draw with Unión La Calera, in Chile, in 2021, and the 4-0 rout over Aucas, at Maracanã, in 2023.
The other duel dates back to the 2017 Copa Sudamericana, when Rubro-Negro beat Palestino 5-0, also in Rio. Despite his name still being little known among fans, Rojas is a frequent fixture on Conmebol's roster. In this 2025 Libertadores, he has already refereed three matches: Universidad de Chile x Estudiantes, Alianza Lima x Talleres and Palmeiras x Cerro Porteño.
Among these games, only the duel between Peru and Argentina, won by Alianza 3-2, had a more controversial plot, but without major complaints regarding the refereeing. At Maracanã, the Colombian team will once again face a Flamengo team looking to assert itself in the continental tournament. The team led by Filipe Luis will try to confirm its place in the knockout stages with a victory against LDU, its direct rival for the group's leadership.
Conmebol also announced the other members of the refereeing team. Miguel Roldán and Mary Blanco, also from Colombia, will be the assistants. Diego Ulloa will be the fourth referee for the match. Heider Castro, also from Colombia, will be responsible for the VAR. He will be joined by Mauricio Perez as AVAR (video assistant). Choosing a quintet from the same country is common practice in the competition.
Despite his familiarity with Flamengo , Rojas has never refereed a knockout match for the club, which reduces the scope for external pressure. Even so, the presence of a foreign referee always raises some kind of concern from the board. Internally, the club has not expressed concern about the schedule, but it closely monitors Conmebol's decisions. Rubro-Negro understands that, in decisive games, any detail can be decisive for the course of the match.
Even with millionaire offers from Europe, the red-black board remains adamant about the defender staying for the season
06 Ago 2025 | 14:17 |
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Flamengo recently received an official offer from RB Leipzig of Germany for defender Léo Ortiz , a standout player on Filipe Luís's squad. The offer was around €15 million (approximately R$95.6 million), with €12 million fixed and €3 million tied to targets. However, Flamengo promptly rejected the offer, maintaining its policy of not releasing key players at this stage of the season.
In addition to Leipzig, Sporting from Portugal has also entered the fray. According to Portuguese broadcaster SIC Notícias, the club is considering making a similar offer: €15 million, plus bonuses for targets achieved.
Despite the move, sources close to the club's board of directors assure that the defender is not for sale. People close to the player also state that he himself has no desire to leave the club at this time.
Flamengo 's board considers Léo Ortiz essential to the team's success in national and international competitions. Signed in March 2024 for €7 million, the defender has made 74 appearances for Flamengo, scoring six goals and providing four assists. His performance has been crucial in campaigns such as the Brazilian Championship, where the club leads with defensive solidity.
Ortiz's release clause is another factor that reinforces Flamengo's firm position. Valued at €80 million (approximately R$514 million) , the amount is far above the offers received so far for the player, who is important to Filipe Luís.
The striker, who won the Libertadores with Mengão, is a free agent after terminating his contract with the Saudi club and could be signed by a São Paulo team.
06 Ago 2025 | 13:39 |
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Corinthians is keeping tabs on 31-year-old striker Vitinho, who is a free agent after terminating his contract with Saudi Arabia's Al-Ettifaq . The information was released by journalist Luis Fabiani. Having not played since May, the player is evaluating his next career steps .
Vitinho rose to prominence in Brazilian football during his time at Flamengo , between 2018 and 2022, a period in which he played more than 200 games and won important titles : Libertadores (2019), Brasileiros (2019 and 2020), as well as two Supercopas do Brasil. Despite criticism from part of the fans, he was a useful piece at different times for the Rio de Janeiro club.
After leaving Rubro-Negro, the striker played for three seasons in Saudi Arabia, but without the same brilliance. His underwhelming performance led to the early termination of his contract . Now, as a free agent, Vitinho can sign with any club without any transfer fees.
Corinthians' interest stems from a search for specific reinforcements for the final stretch of the season. The striker's experience and versatility in the attacking sector are seen as potential differentiators for the black and white squad. There's no official offer yet, but talks are expected to evolve in the coming days.
After losing 1-0 at Maracanã, Flamengo will face Atlético-MG again this Wednesday (06), at 7 pm (Brasília time), in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil, at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte. To advance directly, the Rio de Janeiro team needs to win by two or more goals.
If they win by just one goal, the final will be decided by penalties . Atlético-MG, on the other hand, needs a draw to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The match will be broadcast live on SporTV (pay TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view) throughout Brazil.
Atlético-MG and Mengão face each other this Wednesday (6), at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte, in a decisive duel for the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil
06 Ago 2025 | 12:58 |
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Flamengo takes the field this Wednesday (6) looking for a comeback against Atlético-MG , after a 1-0 defeat at Maracanã. The ball rolls at 7 pm (Brasília time), at Arena MRV , with live broadcast on Sportv and Premiere channels. The team led by Filipe Luís needs a victory by two goals to advance directly to the quarterfinals. If they win by one, the decision will go to penalties.
Bruno Henrique and Luiz Araújo were not included in tonight's match. The coaching staff opted to rest them to manage their physical load ahead of the intense series of matches. Despite the absences, Flamengo is confident in the strength of its squad to seek qualification away from home.
After a 1-0 win in the first leg, despite playing at Maracanã, Atlético-MG arrives in high spirits for the decisive clash. Cuca's team is also coming off a win over Bragantino in the Brasileirão and is looking to maintain its good form in front of its home crowd.
Atlético-MG (Coach: Cuca)
Everson; Saravia, Lyanco, Alonso and Arana (Scarpa); Alexsander, Alan Franco, Scarpa (Igor Gomes); Ron, Hulk and Cuello.
Flamengo (Coach: Filipe Luis)
Rossi; Emerson Royal, Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Allan, Jorginho, Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo, Samuel Lino and Pedro.
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