Soccer
29 Abr 2025 | 12:35 |
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Flamengo 's rout over Corinthians at Maracanã left no doubt about the strength of Tite's team. But what caught the attention of those who know the position the most was the performance of the red-and-black midfielder. And the one who summed up this dominance well was former midfielder and commentator Zé Elias.
Having emerged at Corinthians and played for the Brazilian national team, Zé Elias was full of praise when talking about the performance of Pulgar and De La Cruz, the duo that led the central sector in yet another memorable performance. “Pulgar’s performance is impressive,” said the former player, visibly impressed with the Chilean’s reading of the game and ability to anticipate. “There was one play where he made a sliding tackle before the opponent even touched the ball. I had already read the whole play.”
If you let Flamengo's midfield play, what happened against Corinthians happens”, said Zé Elias
Pulgar, by the way, has been a constant figure in post-match analysis. Against Corinthians, he had a 98% pass success rate – 52 attempts and 51 successes. He also won eight duels, made four tackles, one interception and even gave a decisive pass. In 'Sofascore', he received a score of 6.8, below what his performance indicates, but above the average for defensive midfielders in Brasileirão games.
If Pulgar was the watchdog, De La Cruz was the driving force. Tireless, dynamic and involved from start to finish, the Uruguayan completed 95% of his passes (69 of 73), created two clear chances and also excelled in long balls – he had five successful passes in six attempts . “De La Cruz, dynamic, participating the whole time in the game. Arrascaeta, intelligently, playing in the tight spaces, passing here, passing there... Are you going to let these guys play?”, asked Zé Elias, putting his finger on the sore spot about the space given up by Corinthians in the most decisive area of the field.
The connection between De La Cruz and Arrascaeta , in fact, has been a highlight since the arrival of the number 18. The South American duo alternates movements and creates numerical superiority between the opposing lines with ease. In Zé Elias' opinion, the midfield is the sector that dictates the rhythm of any team. And in the case of Flamengo, that is precisely where the team's strength lies. "If you let Flamengo's midfield play, what happened against Corinthians happens," he stated.
With sold-out sectors and more than 57,000 tickets sold, the expectation is that more than 67,000 fans will be at Maracanã for the first leg of the quarterfinals.
15 Set 2025 | 10:48 |
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Flamengo fans once again showed their strength in the Copa Libertadores. 57,402 tickets have already been sold for the match against Estudiantes, valid for the first leg of the quarterfinals. The match will take place next Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm, at Maracanã.
The North, East, Lower West, and Maracanã Mais sectors are already sold out . Currently, only tickets remain for the South sector, priced at R$200 (full price) and R$100 (half price) . Management expects the 60,000 tickets available to sell out this Friday.
Adding up the free tickets, VIP boxes, and reserved seats, the projected attendance for the match is high. The estimate is that more than 67,000 fans will cheer Mengão on in their quest for a spot in the semifinals of the continental competition , creating a massive atmosphere of support in the stadium.
Before the decisive duel against Estudiantes, Flamengo faces Juventude for the Brazilian Championship this Sunday (14), at 4 pm, at Alfredo Jaconi Stadium. The team leads the table with 47 points, while the Gauchos occupy the 18th position with 21. The return game against the Argentines is scheduled for September 25, also at 9:30 pm, at Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium (UNO), in La Plata.
Last Sunday (15) was special for Flamengo , which ended a taboo of almost 28 years without beating Juventude at Alfredo Jaconi. In Caxias do Sul, in the 23rd round of the Brasileirão, Rubro-Negro beat the Gauchos 2-0, with goals from Arrascaeta and Emerson Royal.
Coach praises Mengão players' efforts to break a 28-year-old taboo against Jaconero at Alfredo Jaconi
15 Set 2025 | 10:38 |
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Flamengo beat Juventude 2-0 this Sunday (14), in Caxias do Sul, and ended a 28-year taboo without triumphs at Alfredo Jaconi. More than the victory in the 23rd round of the Brasileirão, coach Filipe Luís highlighted the attitude of the squad , praising the willingness to train even after a long season.
Filipe Luís on Flamengo's victory over Juventude: "This is a group to make history"
At a press conference, Filipe revealed he was impressed with the group's dedication during training during the FIFA World Cup break: " They're in a nine-month season, no one complains about fatigue, everyone wants to train, everyone competed to their fullest . When I see that, I think: this is a group to make history," the coach stated.
The manager emphasized that daily dedication is directly reflected in the results on the field: " We came to a very difficult field, against a team very well trained by Carpini . This victory is the result of the very high level of work throughout the week," he added.
In the duel, Arrascaeta opened the scoring with a header from a Saúl Ñíguez cross in the first half. In the second half, Emerson Royal secured the victory in the 41st minute, also from above . The victory was special for the squad, as the last time Flamengo had won at the Alfredo Jaconi stadium was in 1997.
After breaking the taboo in the Brasileirão, Flamengo turns its attention to the Copa Libertadores da América . On Thursday (18), Rubro-Negro faces Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG) at Maracanã, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), for the first leg of the quarterfinals.
The player played an important role in Mengão's victory over Juventude and returning to Amarelinha is one of his career goals.
15 Set 2025 | 10:03 |
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This Sunday (14), Flamengo beat Juventude 2-0 , at Alfredo Jaconi, with goals from Arrascaeta and Emerson Royal. After the match, coach Filipe Luís highlighted the performance of the right-back and stated that the Rubro-Negro's style of play resembles that of the Brazilian National Team under the command of Carlo Ancelotti.
Filipe Luís on his playing style enhancing Emerson Royal's potential in the national team: "The way Flamengo plays today is practically identical"
For the coach, this similarity could help Royal return to the squad: "I spoke with Emerson, and the way Flamengo plays today is practically identical to how the Brazilian national team played against Chile. This will greatly enhance his characteristics, boost his confidence, and put him back on the national team's radar ," explained Filipe.
During the period without games, Royal added more training minutes and absorbed tactical concepts developed by the coaching staff . The full-back was rewarded by scoring the goal that ended Flamengo's nearly 28-year winless streak against Juventude at the Alfredo Jaconi stadium.
Today, Royal competes with Wesley (Roma), Vanderson (Monaco) and Vitinho (Botafogo), as well as names like Yan Couto (Borussia Dortmund) and Dodô (Fiorentina) . None of them, however, have a guaranteed place in the 2026 World Cup. Currently, Royal is the active right-back with the most appearances for the Brazilian National Team (10), a factor that could weigh in his favor.
The defender should continue as a starter next Thursday (18), when Flamengo faces Estudiantes-ARG, at Maracanã, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. The stadium will be packed to push the players in search of a great result before the return leg in Argentina.
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