"IT'S A MATTER OF CHARACTER"! FILIPE LUÍS REVEALS REQUEST THAT DIEGO RIBAS MADE DURING PAULO SOUSA'S MANAGEMENT AT FLAMENGO

In the last round of the Libertadores group stage, Flamengo, now under the command of coach Tite, saw its long undefeated streak as home team come to an end. The 1-0 defeat marked the end of a run of 28 matches without losing at home in the competition. The negative result was a shock for the fans, mainly because it occurred at a crucial moment in the season and because of the expectations surrounding the team led by a renowned coach like Tite.

The last time Flamengo had been defeated at Maracanã by the Libertadores was in April 2019, when Peñarol beat the red-black team by the same score of 1-0. The current setback, therefore, brought back memories of that game, creating a feeling of déjà vu among fans . It is worth remembering that, at that time, Flamengo was in a moment of transition and seeking to consolidate itself as one of the powers of South American football.

With the arrival of Tite at the helm of Flamengo, the expectation was that the team would gain tactical consistency and competitiveness in important tournaments, such as the Libertadores itself. Tite, who has a respected CV, mainly for his work in the Brazilian national team, was hired with the mission of making Flamengo become dominant again both on the national and international scene.

The defeat at home, however , served as a cold water for part of the fans who expected a quiet victory. Their unbeaten record at home was seen as one of Flamengo's trump cards in continental competition, a guarantee of strength within their domains. By losing this status, the team will now need to deal with the pressure and doubts that arise from this result.

After the 1-0 defeat to Peñarol, in the first game of the Libertadores quarter-finals, coach Tite held a press conference at Maracanã. The team did not perform well and was booed by the fans. Despite the setback, the coach remained confident for the second leg, which will be held in Uruguay.

Regarding the boos coming from the stands, Tite admitted that the fans' dissatisfaction is understandable. "Of course this hurts, especially on the human side. But experience shows that, when you deliver a good production, the fan's reaction is proportional to the love they feel for the club", said the coach, highlighting the emotional bond between the fans and the Most Dear.

The coach was also asked about the difficulty of Mengão in achieving victories away from home in the Libertadores, since 2022. The last victory away from home came on August 31, 2022, against Vélez Sarsfield, with an impressive 4-0. "We have a great opportunity to break this sequence This is part of the history of football, and I believe we are fully capable of getting there and changing this scenario", replied Tite, showing optimism.

Tite guaranteed that the team will be more effective in Uruguay, promising a better performance. "Within two or three minutes, we score the goal, and from that point on, we work on the result. In some moments we were hasty, and the opposing goalkeeper also had merit. But I'm confident that we will create half of the opportunities and convert them into goals there. You can charge me later", said the coach, projecting a positive scenario for the second leg.

This past Tuesday (10), Wallim Vasconcelos, pre-candidate for the presidency of Flamengo, participated in an interview with Coluna do Fla. On the program, the former director stated that he wants to hire Diego Ribas to be his new football director. However, the priority is to have a foreigner in the position.

"No, there are no negotiations. I talk a lot with Leonardo, I'm going to ask for recommendations since he doesn't want to return to Brazil. I admire Monchi a lot, who was from Sevilla (ESP), but you wouldn't come from Brazil. My idea is to bring someone with that qualification so that in two, three years we can train someone who knows Brazilian football and Flamengo and the person can continue with this work" , he said.

"Who knows, maybe a Diego Ribas from life, who could be with this group. He already has a certain amount of knowledge. Or not, let's bring someone to stay here for a long time and help develop the Flamengo's football management. We're going to bring in someone from outside. The model we want to implement is an outside model. DOES NOT INTEND TO WORK IN CLUBS POSITIONS

Diego Ribas hung up his boots at the end of 2022. Since then, the former Mais Querido signed a contract with Rede Globo to be the network's new commentator and has already worked in several important competitions . After leaving the field, the idol rubro-negro denied the possibility of working directly with the sport at the moment.

"I don't think about being directly linked to football. At this moment, I want to have autonomy from my schedule. More time for myself, more time for my family. And when you connect directly with football, you lose that", he commented, before finishing: