Eliminated from the Libertadores, red-black 'reaps the fruits' of work that doesn't work with Tite and of route errors made by the board
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Just like last year, Flamengo is on track to repeat a season of frustration and lack of relevant titles, the result of mismatches in the strategies adopted on the field and off it. The defeat in the quarter-finals of the Libertadores, yesterday, against Peñarol (Uruguay), once again highlighted the poor work of Tite and his coaching staff. All marked by disastrous errors of route led by the board of Rodolfo Landim, Marcos Braz and company, in the midst of a tumultuous calendar of games and an unusual number of injuries in the squad.
Increasingly closer to a new square one in the coaching position, as there is no indication that Tite will have his contract renewed, the red-black player can only close 2024 with the Campeonato Carioca title, something derisory for the expectations generated by one of the most powerful squads in South America. From now on, GLOBO explains why this season turned into a disaster.
In the scenario of Brazilian coaches, Tite still presents himself as the best name, and is accompanied by a vast committee and well divided among competent people. However, it didn't fit into Flamengo. The work that began in October 2023 had the mission of organizing the squad and guaranteeing a place in the Libertadores. For this year, the idea was to evolve red-black football and make national and international achievements natural. At the same time, the Gaucho's six-year stint with the national team changed his football profile.
Before proposing more aggressive football, see Corinthians, Tite is looking for more of a positional game these days. Again, Flamengo's squad did not appear to be the most adept at this. Since the unforgettable 2019 season, the pillars of this team, such as Arrascaeta, Gerson, Bruno Henrique and even Gabigol, have worked in a more mobile scheme. Far from this characteristic, offensive sterility prevails, in addition to defensive fragility that has never been resolved.
In a calendar that can border on 70 or 80 games in Brazil, teams that set out to go far in all competitions are ironically punished with the wear and tear of their players. But this is a reality far from a solution, requiring a choice of priorities, and Flamengo chose to "embrace the world". After not winning anything in 2023, they wanted to start the new season with all their strength, and won Carioca absolutely.
The least demanding competition of the year, however, gave the wrong impression. Meanwhile, the club undermined its campaign in the Libertadores group stage, finishing in second place and always needing to decide away from home in the knockout stages. Already in the midst of the Brazilian Championship, in which the club is fourth, 11 points behind leader Botafogo, it is preferred to save money to focus on knockout competitions, a policy that has been in place since 2021 and was only successful in the following season. Now, virtually only the Copa do Brasil remains — semi-final against Corinthians.
3 - Calendar ripple effectThis season also brought an extra challenge: the Copa América, which removed five players (Arrascaeta, De La Cruz, Viña, Varela and Pulgar) from Flamengo from various mid-year commitments, as the CBF did not stop its calendar in the middle of the dispute. Although the team performed well during the period, the physical part was taken to the extreme, with the remaining players needing to make extra efforts. To conclude, those called up returned, but also in a fragile situation and the team "crumbled".
4 - Too many injuriesThe imponderable factor also helps explain a season that follows the script of failure. The main one: losing Pedro, the team's top scorer, for the rest of the year, due to a serious knee injury in a training session with the Brazilian team. Important names, such as Everton Cebolinha and Matías Viña, were also permanently injured. Injuries in the red and black team appear excessively in 2024.
It is worth noting that the spate of recurring muscular problems is also due to Flamengo's inability to choose their priorities. If all athletes play on all fronts, the bill will arrive at some point. In April, Diogo Dantas' blog reported that Tite's rotation at Flamengo was more concerned with performance than injuries. In the end, so many physical problems make it impossible to maintain a standard of play that meets expectations.
5 - Late window in the middle of the yearChasing losses only when they already appear is one of the red-black management's most serious mistakes. There is no shortage of money for the club with the highest revenue in South America, which made Argentine Carlos Alcaraz its biggest signing of all time. The mid-year package still had Michael (injured), Alex Sandro and Gonzalo Plata, but bringing them in at the last minute still had little effect and revealed the lack of planning, while the opponents did it in an organized manner. Yesterday, Alcaraz didn't even step on the field in Uruguay.
< p>Between injuries and suspensions, Mengão will not have more than half the team available
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This Sunday (29), Flamengo faces Athletico-PR at Maracanã, in the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship. For the confrontation, coach Tite will have six absences: Pedro, Everton Cebolinha, Matías Viña, Michael, Luiz Araújo and Carlinhos.
Pedro, Cebolinha and Viña will not play again this season, with only expected return in 2025. Luiz Araújo is still recovering from a knee injury, while Carlinhos is suspended after receiving a red card in the last round against Grêmio, due to the attack on defender Kannemann.
Despite not participating in the game against Athletico-PR, Michael is already in the final stages of recovery and should be available for the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semi-finals, against Corinthians, on Wednesday (02).
Pedro: rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee
Everton Cebolinha: rupture of the Achilles tendon
Michael: injury muscle in the right thigh
Matías Viña: ligament rupture in the knee
Luiz Araújo: fracture in the knee cartilage
Carlinhos: suspended
FLAMENGO Mengão, which occupies fourth place in the table with 45 points, is looking for just its second victory in the last eight games of the competition.
Ramón Diaz's team will have to face a 'Majestoso' before the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil
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Flamengo said goodbye to the "triple front" after being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Libertadores, but is still in contention for the Brasileirão and the Copa do Brasil. Meanwhile, the opponent in the national knockout stage, Corinthians, remains in three competitions and cannot afford to ease up in the Brazilian Championship, as it occupies the relegation zone. As a result, coach Ramón Díaz must select the starters against São Paulo this Sunday (29), for the 28th round. PROBABLE CORINTHIANS SQUAD FOR THE CLASSIC
Hugo Souza; Fagner, André Ramalho, Cacá and Matheus Bidu; José Martínez, Charles, Breno Bidon and Rodrigo Garro; Romero and Yuri Alberto.
Last Tuesday (24), Corinthians eliminated Fortaleza from the Copa Sudamericana. Now, on Sunday (29), they face São Paulo in a decisive classic to try to get out of the relegation zone. On Wednesday (02), the dispute with Flamengo for a place in the final of the Copa do Brasil begins. As a result, Itaquera's team needs to maintain full focus on the three competitions.
Corinthians' biggest signing of the season, Dutchman Memphis Depay should start on the bench against São Paulo. However, the player will be a certain absence against Flamengo, as he was only regularized on September 10th, one day after the registration deadline for the Copa do Brasil. Therefore, Depay will not be able to play in the two clashes against Mengão.
Corinthians will define the lineup for the classic this Saturday morning ( 28), followed by the trip to Brasília, where the game will be at the Mané Garrincha Stadium. The final training session will be open to the public, so that the fans can support the team in the fight to get out of the relegation zone. Currently, the team from São Paulo has 28 points, occupying 17th place, tied with 16th place, Vitória, which has more victories.
FLAMENGO MISTO?
With little chance of winning the Brasileirão title, Flamengo must completely prioritize the Copa do Brasil. Thus, Tite is expected to field a mixed team for the clash against Athletico-PR on Sunday (29), at 8pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. The definition should take place in training this Saturday (28), at 3:30 pm (Brasília time), at Ninho do Urubu.
Flamengo has a point of view considered by the club's board
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According to information from journalist Guilherme Silva, the Flamengois directing its attention to the Copa do Brasil, which implies a clear change of priorities in the calendar. The decision is strategic and motivated by the impact that a possible title in the knockout competition would have on the club's electoral context, as the presidential elections take place later this year. As a result, the team should not enter the classic against Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship with full strength, opting to preserve the starters for the clash against Corinthians, in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil.
This choice makes it clear that the Brasileirão, which is historically considered one of the most important tournaments for fans and for the club's own history, will not be Flamengo's main focus at this time. The decision is based on short-term factors, as the Copa do Brasil title can be decided before the end of the Brazilian Championship. In other words, a trophy won in the knockout round would bring immediate electoral benefits and would represent an important campaign asset for the current administration.
DID NOT GO WELL WITH THE FANSThe “Election Effect ”, as it has already been called internally, is a movement to ensure that a title with greater impact in the short term — such as the Copa do Brasil — arrives before the end of the Brasileirão, as the running points continue until December. Thus, an eventual Copa do Brasil title would be used as an asset for the candidates in the situation, something that the management sees as fundamental to garner political support and maintain control at the club.
With this strategy outlined, the squad planning and The lineup in the Brazilian Championship games will be changed according to the Copa do Brasil matches. Against Fluminense, for example, Flamengo must enter the field with an alternative team, sparing some of the main players. In normal situations, a classic like Fla-Flu would have maximum importance and the presence of full force would be indispensable. However, the total focus on the Copa do Brasil changes this dynamic and shows that the club is willing to take risks in the Brasileirão to maximize its chances in the knockout competition.
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