EXCITING! TITE RECOGNIZES THE HARD WORK OF NOVA IGUAÇU COACH AND AWARDS CARIOCA CHAMPION MEDAL

Flamengo continues to wait for the return of Arrascaeta, who has been sidelined since August 18th, when he suffered an injury to his left thigh. The number 14 is being monitored by the club's Medical Department and his return to the field is still uncertain for the decisive clash against Bahia, valid for the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil. The game will take place on September 12th, at 9:45 pm, at Maracanã.

Arrascaeta has not yet started the transition phase to the field, remaining under the care of Flamengo's medical department. With less than a week to go until the match, the club is racing against time to count on the return of the Uruguayan star. According to journalist Venê Casagrande, the player is in the final stage of recovery and there is an expectation that he will begin the physical transition next Monday (09).

IMPACT OF INJURIES IN THE SECOND HALF

An undisputed starter at Flamengo and frequently called up for the Uruguayan national team, Arrascaeta has faced physical problems throughout the seasons, especially in the second half, when the calendar becomes more intense. Since 2019, the midfielder has suffered 70% of his injuries after June, totaling 20 absences for Flamengo, 14 of them from that period.

In the first match of the quarter-finals against Bahia, Flamengo won 1-0 away from home, with a goal from Bruno Henrique. With this result, Rubro-Negro can even draw at Maracanã to guarantee their place in the tournament's semifinals. The team hopes to count on Arrascaeta, but is also preparing alternatives to make up for his possible absence.

Flamengo still has some doubts for the clash, but the likely lineup has names like: Rossi, Wesley (Varela), Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas, Pulgar (Léo Ortiz), Allan, Gerson, Luiz Araújo, Bruno Henrique and Gabigol (Arrascaeta). 

Friday (6) marked a historic moment for American football fans in Brazil. For the first time, the NFL held an official game in the country, pitting the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers teams against each other. The event, which took place at the Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo, celebrated the expansion of the American league into Brazilian territory.

The Philadelphia Eagles emerged victorious in the duel against the Green Bay Packers, with a thrilling 34-29 comeback, being the first team to triumph on Brazilian soil in an official NFL game.

Among the highlights of the event, Eagles player C.J. Gardner-Johnson took advantage of the post-game moment to interact with fans and, in a symbolic gesture, received a Flamengo Imperadores shirt, a team from American football linked to the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.

The history of Flamengo in American football began on May 17, 2013, when the club signed a partnership with the Imperadores team, resulting in the creation of Flamengo Futebol Americano. Since then, the red-black club has stood out on the national sports scene. In 2017, the team adopted the name Flamengo Imperadores, consolidating itself as one of the great forces of American football in Brazil.

In 2018, Flamengo Imperadores won the Carioca American Football Championship, beating Vasco in the final and asserting its supremacy in the sport in the state.

In addition to seeking supremacy in American football, Flamengo continues its successful campaign in field football. The club is in contention for the three main titles of the season: Copa do Brasil, Libertadores and Campeonato Brasileiro. The team's next commitment is for the Copa do Brasil, where they will face Bahia in the quarter-finals, on Thursday (12), at Maracanã.

Flamengo took a big step towards the 2024 Carioca Championship title, beating Nova Iguaçu 3-0, yesterday (30). With two goals from Pedro and an own goal from Ronald, Rubro-Negro is closer to its 38th state title.

Next Sunday, at 5pm, the Flamengo could even lose 2-0 to guarantee the first cup of the year 2024, after a series of frustrating runners-up in 2023. Before the final of the Campeonato Carioca, Mengão will make their debut in the Libertadores, in Bogotá, Colombia, against Millionarios, at 7pm, on Tuesday.

In the press conference after the match, coach Tite praised the team's performance and the opponent's game . However, he ruled out the possibility of sparing players in the second game of the final, which will take place between the two Libertadores games in the first phase.

Tite emphasized the importance of focus on the next game, stating that he learned in life that the next step is always the most important. “No (I will save). I learned in life that the next step is always the most important. And this strengthens me in a coincidence, if I keep looking over the situation. I'm speaking with an open heart”, said the coach.

Tite praised Carlos Vitor, coach of Nova Iguaçu. He highlighted that, despite the difference in investment and structure between the teams, Carlos' work is “much superior” to his.

“The quality of the Nova Iguaçu team is not random. There is work, perhaps, much better than mine. Because he doesn't have all the equipment that Flamengo provides me. And without all these conditions, he manages to have an exemplary campaign”, stated the red-black professor.

Tite highlighted that the confrontation was between the best attack and the third best attack, with two teams that they like to play with the ball. He congratulated Carlos for the excellent work at the helm of Nova Iguaçu.

“It was a confrontation between the best attack against the third best attack. With offensive options. With two teams that like the ball, like the game, Carlos is very to be congratulated, but not a little, it's a lot. I told him personally, I speak publicly”, began Tite.