Former Flamengo player Hugo Souza returns to the Brazilian National Team after almost seven years

Carlo Ancelotti's latest call-up for the Brazilian national team, valid for the final two rounds of the World Cup qualifiers, initially featured only one Flamengo player : Alex Sandro, who was later ruled out due to injury. In light of this, commentator Galvão Bueno raised his flag in defense of Pedro , asking for space for the Flamengo center forward on the list.

The number 9 is having a great time. In the historic 8-0 rout of Vitória, Pedro scored three goals—one of them a memorable one, after a graceful dribble and a lobbed finish. He also surpassed the 100-goal mark at the new Maracanã stadium and entered the top 10 of Flamengo's all-time goalscorers.

Galvão Bueno asks Ancelotti about Pedro, from Flamengo: "Wasn't there a way for Pedro?"

In his last three games, the striker has six goals and one assist, a performance that reinforced Galvão's request. " A lot of people missed Pedro in the national team . Ancelotti, you called up five center forwards. Didn't you have a knack for Pedro ? He plays pivot, he's got skill..." commented the commentator on the Galvão e Amigos program.

NARRATOR HIGHLIGHTS THE STRENGTH OF THE RUBRO-NEGRO CAST

Still reflecting on the rout over Vitória, Galvão highlighted the quality and depth of Flamengo's squad . According to him, the club boasts several international-caliber players, both among the starters and on the bench.

" Flamengo has a former Italy starter [Jorginho], a former Spain starter [Saúl], a Uruguay starter [Arrascaeta], another Uruguayan on the bench [De La Cruz] and Pulgar, a starter for the Chilean national team. All in one team ," the communicator highlighted.

Galvão also praised the attacking approach of Filipe Luís's team. "Look how effortless this Flamengo team plays. They're improving every day, they're always on the attack . It's a huge difference, 8-0!" the presenter added.

FOCUS ON THE DUEL AGAINST GRÊMIO

After the show on Monday (25), Pedro and his teammates return to the field this Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), again at Maracanã . Flamengo faces Grêmio, in the 23rd round of the Brazilian Championship, looking to maintain the leadership of the competition.

Uruguayan Giorgian De Arrascaeta has once again made his mark in the recent history of the Brazilian Championship . In the 8-0 rout of Vitória at Maracanã, Flamengo's number 10 scored one goal and provided two assists, reaching the mark of 11 goals and 10 decisive passes in this edition of the tournament.

THE FEAT OF A “DOUBLE-DOUBLE”

The performance secured another double-double for the midfielder, a rare statistic in Brazilian football that combines double-digit goals and assists in the same season. Arrascaeta had already achieved this feat in the historic 2019 campaign under Jorge Jesus , and now he equals Jadson as the only players to repeat the feat in two separate editions.

A RESTRICTED GROUP OF STARS

Since the adoption of the points-based format in 2003, only 16 athletes have reached this level. Among them are big names like Alex, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Jonas, Hulk, and Luis Suárez . The Uruguayan's distinguishing feature is precisely his consistency: he is the only foreigner on the list and the first to achieve the feat in two seasons. The survey was conducted by journalist Rodolfo Rodrigues.

With 18 games remaining in the Brasileirão, Arrascaeta needs just two goals and four assists to match his 2019 campaign (13 goals and 14 assists). Maintaining his current average, he should reach these figures in approximately six games.

OTHER EXPRESSIVE BRANDS

The rout against Vitória also yielded other significant achievements. Arrascaeta became the top assist maker in the history of the Brasileirão, reaching 78 officially recorded decisive passes . He also scored his 50th goal at the Maracanã stadium, reaching the 89-goal mark for the red-and-black team.

The performance brings the Uruguayan closer to Doval, the Argentine idol who scored 94 goals for Flamengo between 1969 and 1975. Now, Arrascaeta is just five goals away from equaling that historic mark , and could solidify his position as the club's top foreign scorer this season.

Called up to the Brazilian national team, Flamengo midfielder Lucas Paquetá has once again attracted interest from European clubs . Cleared of gambling allegations, the Brazilian has resumed his career and is now a target for Tottenham , according to talkSport radio.

TOTTENHAM SEEKS REINFORCEMENT FOR THE MIDFIELD

The London club's interest comes after two recent losses: Eberechi Eze, transferred to Arsenal, and James Maddison, who was injured . Paquetá appears to be an option to bolster the creative department. However, there are conflicting reports in the English media. The Guardian reports that Manchester City, which previously attempted to sign Paquetá, remains interested. Crystal Palace is also keen on the Brazilian midfielder.

WEST HAM CAN PLAY A TOUGH GAME

West Ham, Paquetá's current club, had a difficult start to the Premier League, with two losses and eight goals conceded. In the English League Cup, they lost to Wolves, who finished second to last. Paquetá stands out as the main player on the pitch, but he faces difficulties communicating with his teammates . Therefore, the English board must negotiate cautiously, and is estimated to accept no less than R$220 million for the midfielder's sale.

BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM AS A SHOWCASE

In addition to the English market, Paquetá will have another opportunity to increase his value with the Brazilian national team. After being cleared of match-fixing charges, the former Flamengo player was called up by Carlo Ancelotti for the final two rounds of the World Cup qualifiers .

The midfielder returns to the national team for the first time since November last year, when he came on in the 1-1 draw against Uruguay . He will now face Chile (September 4, at the Maracanã) and Bolivia (September 9, in El Alto), marking his first contact with Ancelotti.