Soccer
04 Set 2025 | 10:08 |
0
Matheus Gonçalves' departure for Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia was made official this week and is considered advantageous for both the Mais Querido and the player. The 20-year-old forward, who came up through the ranks at Ninho do Urubu, hadn't been receiving the minutes he expected under Filipe Luís, which influenced his decision.
Before the agreement with the Arab club, the athlete was close to playing for CSKA , Russia, and Cruzeiro, but negotiations did not progress. The transfer window was nearing its end when Al Ahli officially made an offer of €8 million (approximately R$50 million at the current exchange rate). The signed contract will run until 2027.
The youth academy director, Alfredo Almeida, commented in an interview with Barbacast on YouTube that the athlete himself expressed dissatisfaction with his limited space in the first team. For him, the quality of the red-and-black squad was also a determining factor.
" Matheus Gonçalves himself wasn't comfortable, in his opinion, due to the lack of opportunities in the professional team. He had opportunities. Often, the question I ask when people ask why Matheus Gonçalves doesn't play anymore is: 'Who are you taking out?' The squad is so stacked, so good, so qualified…" said the director.
A product of the club's youth academy, Matheus Gonçalves was a standout player in the U-20s, but he didn't achieve the desired run in the senior squad. Despite expectations, he played 54 games and scored six goals, a number considered modest given his potential.
For Alfredo Almeida, the negotiation was positive: " It will probably be beneficial for all parties: financially for Flamengo, for Matheus Gonçalves, and for his agents, who have the opportunity to increase his value. Business-wise, it was beneficial for everyone, especially for Matheus. I think he'll be happy where he is."
Mengão was behind on the scoreboard for most of the match and the absence of players who were traded and called up was felt against Cruzmaltino
06 Set 2025 | 13:00 |
0
After four rounds without losing — with three wins and one draw — Flamengo suffered its first defeat in the Campeonato Carioca Sub-20 . On Saturday morning (6), in Gávea, Rubro-Negro was beaten by Vasco by 3 to 1, in a duel valid for the 6th round of the competition.
Vasco didn't take long to open the scoring. Just three minutes in, Samuel played a clever one-two through the middle and finished into Léo Nannetti's top corner : 1-0. Flamengo struggled to penetrate the area against Vasco's tight defense, while the refereeing, by excessively stopping the game due to fouls, left the first half a tense period without any significant chances.
In the second half, the Red-Blacks managed to rally. In the 16th minute, after a cross was blocked by the opposing defense, Daniel Sales took a first-time shot from outside the box and scored a stunning goal , tying the derby. However, the draw was short-lived.
Right from the start, Vasco scored again through Riquelme, who capitalized on a rebound to put the visitors back in front . Shortly after, in the 23rd minute, Samuel received the ball in the box and passed it to Léo Jacó to make it 3-1.
With a comfortable lead, Vasco retreated to hold on. Flamengo had more possession , but couldn't convert their dominance into clear-cut chances. João Vitor scored the fourth goal in the final play, sealing Vasco's victory.
Flamengo: Leo Nannetti; Daniel Sales, Da Mata, Carbone and Gusttavo; João Alves, Pablo and Guilherme; Felipe Teresa, Joshua and Pedro Leão.
Vasco: Phillipe Gabriel; Breno Vereza, Wanyson, Walace Falcao and Riquelme; Gustavo Guimarães, Euder and Samuel; Estrella, Juninho and Zucarello.
Strikers have not had opportunities with Filipe Luís and have even been left out of the list of players involved in Mengão's games.
06 Set 2025 | 12:00 |
0
For now, forwards Juninho and Michael remain at Flamengo . Both were on the list of players available for transfer, but the board didn't like the offers they received. Therefore, at least until a new decision is made, they remain on the roster and at the disposal of Filipe Luís's coaching staff .
The reality, however, is complicated. Both are behind several competitors in the attacking sector and have long contracts, expiring on December 31, 2028. In Michael 's case, the situation is even more pressing: in addition to the competition, the striker has a high salary, which makes any transfer difficult, especially in the domestic market. The information was released by UOL.
Juninho and Michael received inquiries from Saudi football, but all proposals involved loans . The model didn't please the players or Mais Querido, preventing any progress in the negotiations.
With no playing time, Michael hasn't played since June 24, when he faced Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup. After that, he was a substitute against Bayern Munich and only included in the squad against São Paulo and Grêmio , without playing any minutes.
Juninho , meanwhile, played in five games after the World Cup in the United States, always coming on as a substitute. In total, he only played 62 minutes, reflecting the lack of space under Filipe Luís. His last appearance was on August 8 , in a 1-1 draw against Ceará at Castelão.
Bruno Henrique's 12-match suspension, imposed by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) for match-fixing, could open up opportunities for Juninho and Michael. Flamengo, however, has already announced it will appeal the decision . Currently, competition in their respective sectors remains fierce: in addition to them, the squad includes Pedro, Samuel Lino, Plata, Luiz Araújo, Wallace Yan, and Everton Cebolinha.
Mengão wants to keep the coach at the helm of the squad at least until the end of 2026 and the expectation is that an agreement will be made this year.
06 Set 2025 | 11:00 |
0
Flamengo's current priority is renewing Filipe Luís's contract . The coach's contract runs until the end of 2025 and has already received an offer from the club, which includes an extension until December 2026 , with the option of an automatic renewal for another season.
The main obstacle in the negotiations is financial, but Flamengo 's board believes this won't be a problem. Filipe is expected to present a counteroffer , as his prestige has earned him a salary comparable to that of Brazil's top coaches. This information comes from the 'GE' portal.
Filipe Luís has never hidden his desire to work in Europe at some point in his career . However, he understands that he is still in the process of maturing and is unlikely to take that step now, as the European market tends to be more active in the middle of the year. Therefore, he is likely to remain at Flamengo until at least 2026.
The first proposal was submitted before the Club World Cup, but negotiations were put on hold due to the intense movement during the transfer window. Now, both Filipe's and Arrascaeta's contract renewals are at the top of the club's priorities.
Flamengo is willing to improve its initial offer to seal the deal quickly. The coach has already won the Copa do Brasil (2024) , as well as the Supercopa do Brasil and the Campeonato Carioca (2025). He is currently leading the Brasileirão and is in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores.
In charge of the professional team since October 2024, Filipe Luís has only lost six of his 65 matches , with 43 wins and 16 draws. His 74.3% success rate is the best since Jorge Jesus' 81.6% between 2019 and 2020.
SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER
See previous
