IN PROTEST AGAINST ARBITRATION, FLAMENGO VETOES POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS AGAINST ATHLETICO

Last Thursday (19), left-back Alex Sandro returned to play in a football match Libertadores after 13 years of absence. However, the return did not go as he expected. Starting in Flamengo's 1-0 defeat to Peñarol (URU), at Maracanã, the player highlighted that the red-black team was caught in the defensive strategy set up by the opponent. Despite the negative result, Alex Sandro expressed optimism regarding the possibility of qualifying in the second leg, which will be played in Montevideo next Thursday (26).

In his statements after the game, the full-back acknowledged that Flamengo was unable to impose its style of play. According to him, the team fell into the "trap" prepared by Peñarol, who knew how to take advantage of the mistakes made by the Brazilian team. However, Alex Sandro made a point of highlighting that the team will be prepared for the decisive clash away from home.

"More from What to say, we have to do it. We know that we didn't present our best football today. We often entered the game that Peñarol wanted, we forgot to play our football, what we train, with the quality we probably have. The next game will be different, but we will face it, face the environment, which is very difficult to play in. However, we have experienced players and we will be prepared", said the number 26.

The point highlighted by Alex Sandro. reflects well what the match was like. Peñarol's coach, Diego Aguirre, put together a strategy based on a strong rebound, waiting for Flamengo to make mistakes before counterattacking. The plan worked. In the 12th minute of the first half, midfielder Erick Pulgar missed a pass in midfield, and Peñarol took advantage of the opportunity. Javier Cabrera didn't waste anything and scored the only goal of the game, guaranteeing the Uruguayan team's victory.

Throughout the match, Flamengo demonstrated difficulties in breaking through Peñarol's defensive block. The Brazilian team had more possession of the ball, but was unable to transform this dominance into clear scoring chances. The lack of creativity and individual failures weighed on the final result. Jorge Sampaoli's team was unable to find solutions to overcome the opposing defense and ended up suffering from a lack of effectiveness in attack.

This Thursday's game also marked a curious reunion for Alex Sandro. The full-back had not played in a Libertadores match since June 2011, when he was still playing for Santos. On that occasion, the opponent was the same Peñarol. However, the result was very different. In the 2011 final, Santos won 2-1 and won the continental competition title. This time, the outcome was bitter for the full-back and his current club, Flamengo.

The 13-year difference between the two matches shows the long period in which Alex Sandro was away from South America's main club competition. In the meantime, the player built a solid career in Europe, playing for clubs such as Porto and Juventus, before returning to Brazilian football to play for Flamengo. Now, he is trying to find success again in the Libertadores, but he will face a complicated challenge in the return game against Peñarol.

The Flamengo faced boos and criticism from the fans after the 1-0 defeat to Peñarol, at Maracanã, in a match valid for the Libertadores, which took place this Thursday (19). The fans' discontent was evident, creating a tense atmosphere in the stadium. However, goalkeeper Rossi defended the team and appealed for the fans' support, arguing that booing creates a harmful environment for everyone, both players and coaching staff.

Rossi was clear in stating that booing negatively affects performance of the team, creating a demotivating atmosphere: "It creates an environment that is bad for everyone. And it seems like we are doing our job poorly. So we need support." With this statement, the goalkeeper makes clear his concern about the emotional impact that constant criticism from fans can have on players, especially in delicate moments like the current one.