Former Flamengo player, Hugo Souza praises the red-black team: "very qualified team"

The club's early elimination from the Club World Cup, against Bayern Munich in the round of 16, did not change the club's board's plans regarding the new manager . On the contrary: Flamengo has once again intensified talks with Filipe Luís to renew the coach's contract.

With a current contract until December 2025, Filipe Luís received an offer to extend the agreement for two more seasons, until the end of 2027. The club has already presented the new terms, which include a salary increase and guarantees of technical autonomy in planning.

COACH HAS BEEN STANDING OUT FOR THE MOST LOVED TEAM

The decision to keep Filipe Luís at the helm of the team is directly linked to the board's confidence in the project in the medium term. José Boto, director of football, is leading the negotiations and sees the coach as someone who aligns with the club's philosophy and strongly identifies with the squad . According to sources close to the negotiations, Flamengo wants to ensure stability in its coaching leadership, avoiding the constant turnover that has marked recent years.

THE COACH HAS BEEN SHOWING GOOD NUMBERS

Recent performances have reinforced the idea of continuity. Taking over in October 2024, following Tite's departure, Filipe Luís showed immediate results. In just over six months in charge, the former full-back won three titles: the Copa do Brasil, the Supercopa do Brasil, and the Campeonato Carioca. Under his leadership, Flamengo suffered only four defeats, presenting a solid team with good space utilization and attacking intensity.

The team's performance has even caught the attention of direct rivals. One of the factors that most strongly favors Filipe Luís's continued presence is his strong relationship with the squad. Key players in the group demonstrate respect and complicity with the coach, who has played alongside many of them as an athlete.

This Saturday (12), Jorginho will have an opportunity that has been awaited since his arrival at Flamengo . After leaving a good impression at the Club World Cup, the midfielder will start for the first time at Maracanã, against São Paulo, in the 13th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match starts at 4:30 pm (Brasília time) and marks the beginning of a new configuration in the red-black midfield sector.

NAMES MISS THE MIDFIELD

A midfield overhaul is inevitable. Gerson's sale to Zenit in Russia and Erick Pulgar's broken foot, which will see him out for up to three months, have disrupted the core of Filipe Luís's team. The interim coach will face the challenge of reorganizing the team's central midfield, which now relies on Jorginho as a key figure in transition and playmaking.

Jorginho is expected to play alongside Nicolás de la Cruz, forming a new defensive midfield duo that combines tactical intelligence and intensity. While the Uruguayan tends to roam closer to the opponent's box, Jorginho has a more measured profile, with good passing and reading of the game. The coaching staff is betting that the two will complement each other on the field.

JORGINHO HAS A NEW ROLE

Although almost the entire squad is available, the absences in midfield require special attention. Filipe Luís has used Léo Ortiz as a makeshift midfielder in previous games, but the idea is for Jorginho to regularly take over the position. Internally, the club believes the player has the potential to be a key player, especially with the style of play adopted in recent months.

Behind the scenes, Flamengo is monitoring names to fill the void left by Gerson. The board's favorite is Jorge Carrascal, currently at Dynamo Moscow. The Colombian is considered "plan A" by football director José Boto, who has already initiated initial contact with the player's staff. The deal, however, still depends on progress in negotiations with the Russian club.

After the break for the Club World Cup, the Brazilian Championship resumes activities this weekend . The 13th round will have seven games in its schedule, with the duel between Flamengo and São Paulo, on Saturday (13), at 4:30 pm (Brasília time) , at Maracanã, as the main highlight.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Ricardo Capriotti talks about Flamengo vs. São Paulo: "It won't be bad"

Despite the anticipation surrounding the clash between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, journalist Ricardo Capriotti offered a humorous critique of the return of the national tournament. During the program Esporte em Debate , he mocked the competition's mediocre technical quality.

"I confess I was missing a bad game. Flamengo vs. São Paulo won't be bad, but from now on, we'll have a lot of weak games. It's not a inferiority complex, it's just reality. We have a lot of bad games here. At the Club World Cup, there were few , especially those from the Japanese and American teams," he said.

The journalist's statement reflects a recurring view among analysts: despite the competitiveness, the Brasileirão still experiences technically limited matches , which directly impacts the quality of the show.

TEAMS MOMENT

Leading the Brasileirão with 24 points, Flamengo arrives on a high after two consecutive victories in the competition . Under Filipe Luís, the team has shown consistency, with highlights including strong offensive performance and solid squad.

On the other hand, São Paulo is going through a difficult time. With just 12 points, they sit in 14th place and have lost four of their last five games . Now under the command of Hernán Crespo, who returns to the club, the Tricolor is trying to react and move away from the relegation zone.