
Soccer
17 Jan 2025 | 16:44 |
Forward Guilherme Bala, ex-Flamengo, was the highlight of Shabab Al-Ahli 3-1 over Al-Rayyan, guaranteeing the Challenge Shield title, one of the trophies up for grabs in the Qatar-Emirates Super Cup Arabs. The clash, held this Thursday (16), marked the first runner-up in the Middle East for coach Artur Jorge, former Botafogo, who leads the Qatari team.
"Very happy with everything that has been happening in my life. Thank God, we won another title. It was a very difficult match, we faced a qualified opponent, but we showed the strength of our team and we managed to come away with the trophy. I'm happy with the contribution I was able to make to the team, with two assists and a goal. This is the result of everyone's work", Bala said.
The Challenge Shield brought together the runners-up of the leagues from both countries. Shabab Al-Ahli, led by also former flamenco player Paulo Sousa, came second in the United Arab Emirates Championship, while Al-Rayyan, runner up in the Qatari league, reached the final after the arrival of Artur Jorge.
Bala's decisive performance
Guilherme Bala was decisive in the match. He assisted Yuri César, also ex-Flamengo, to open the score, and then left Azmoun in front of the goal to score the second. In stoppage time, after a counterattack, the attacker completed the ball into the net, closing the score.
This was Bala's fourth title with the Shabab Al-Ahli shirt, adding to the Emirates Super Cup and Pro League. With his performance in the final, he reached 13 direct goal contributions in the season: five goals and eight assists in 22 matches.
"I'm having a good time, I've been working really hard to get to the matches well and, thank God, I've been able to help the team. I'm happy with the numbers I've been achieving in this season, I hope I can improve even more and help Shabab win more titles", concluded Bala.
Mais Querido is looking for a new goalkeeper to compete with Rossi and the former Corinthians goalkeeper could be an option for the Rio de Janeiro team's board.
12 Ago 2025 | 09:44 |
Palmeiras has made progress in talks to sign Carlos Miguel, currently on his way out of Nottingham Forest, but the deal may take longer than expected. The reason is that the leaked negotiations changed the course of the latest negotiations , causing discomfort between the parties.
The situation is gaining momentum with the possibility of other clubs entering the competition. According to information from GoalBR, Flamengo and Bahia are evaluating the signing . In the case of the Rio de Janeiro club, the board has already expressed interest and is analyzing the feasibility of submitting a formal offer.
Standing at 6'4" and a standout performer in his respective competitions, former Corinthians player Carlos Miguel has become one of the most sought-after targets on the market . His profile appeals to clubs looking to bolster their defense with security and experience.
Enjoying a strong run in the Brasileirão and advancing in the Libertadores, Flamengo is already making moves behind the scenes to strengthen its squad. The board has prioritized the arrival of a new goalkeeper , especially given the confirmed departure of Matheus Cunha. The goalkeeper signed a pre-contract with Cruzeiro and will leave the club free of charge at the end of the season.
Despite their confidence in Rossi, Flamengo's board knows they need at least one more high-level goalkeeper on the roster. This time, the team wants to tap the transfer market to replace the Argentine , who has made some mistakes in recent games.
The defender continues to improve physically and should return to the field against Internacional in the Brasileirão, after a six-match absence.
11 Ago 2025 | 19:10 |
Since the victory over Fluminense on July 20, Flamengo's defense has faced a challenge in the absence of Danilo. The defender has missed six consecutive games, including the Copa do Brasil round of 16, but is showing significant progress in his recovery and is expected to return to training with the squad later this week.
Despite the progress, his participation against Internacional, this Wednesday (13), at Maracanã, for the Libertadores , is ruled out. The technical committee opts for caution, aiming to avoid the risk of new injury.
The internal expectation is that Danilo will be available for the match against Colorado, valid for the Brazilian Championship, next Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm, at Beira-Rio. If the return is confirmed, the defender's presence will bring more stability to the defensive system and allow strategic rest for Léo Ortiz and Léo Pereira, who have been playing without rest since his injury.
Without Danilo, the central defender duo has started all six recent games , amassing 540 minutes of unsubstituted play. Their teammate's return is seen as crucial to relieving the strain and offering coach Filipe Luís new options.
During the period without the defender, Flamengo faced crucial challenges. In addition to the Copa do Brasil match against Atlético-MG, which ended in elimination, the team played four Brasileirão matches, winning three and drawing one.
The sole decision of the continental tournament takes place on November 29, in Peru, repeating the stage of the 2019 final won by Flamengo over River Plate.
11 Ago 2025 | 19:05 |
On Monday afternoon (11), Conmebol confirmed that the 2025 Copa Libertadores da América final will be played at the Monumental Stadium in Lima, Peru, on November 29. This will be the second time that the venue hosts a tournament decision, after having hosted Flamengo 's historic victory over River Plate in 2019.
The arena, which belongs to the University Club and seats approximately 80,000 spectators , was chosen by the organization after the Peruvian capital had already been confirmed as the host city in April. Brasília and Montevideo were also in the running, but were left out of the final selection.
2019: Flamengo 2 x 1 River Plate (Monumental, Lima)
2020: Palmeiras 1 x 0 Santos (Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro)
2021: Palmeiras 2 x 1 Flamengo (Centenary, Montevideo)
2022: Flamengo 1 x 0 Athletico-PR (Monumental de Guayaquil)
2023: Fluminense 2 x 1 Boca Juniors (Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro)
2024: Botafogo 3 x 1 Atlético-MG (Monumental of Núñez, Buenos Aires)
2025: Monumental de Lima
The road to the final in Peru begins this Wednesday (13), when Flamengo and Internacional face each other in the first leg of the round of 16, at 9:30 pm, at Maracanã. The return leg is scheduled for the 20th, at Beira-Rio. Between these two clashes for the Libertadores , the teams also face each other for the Brazilian Championship.