Former Flamengo technical hits with a team from Brasilia, according to Portal

A longtime Flamengo idol, Adriano Imperador made history in 2009 by leading the team to the Brazilian Championship title. However, after the successful season, the striker left the club to join Roma (ITA) in 2010. Today, the former player recognizes that the decision wasn't the best of his career.

Adriano on leaving Flamengo for Roma in 2010: "I think it was the wrong decision I made"

"I think it was a wrong decision I made, and it's not even about the money. I think I agreed to return to Rome more out of excitement than because it was something I really wanted ," Adriano said in an interview with Romário TV .

The Emperor also explained that he felt a kind of duty to Italian football: " Although I owed it to the Italian people , because when I left Inter I kind of left, I didn't give any explanations. It was something I felt I needed to do," he added.

ADRIANO'S TIME AT FLAMENGO

Revealed in Flamengo 's youth academy, Adriano made his professional debut in 2000 and transferred to Inter Milan in 2001. His return to Rubro-Negro took place in 2009, with a huge impact: decisive goals, idolatry and the national title.

In total, adding up both spells, the striker played 92 matches, scored 45 goals and won the 2009 Brasileirão and the 2001 Carioca , establishing himself as one of the greatest idols in the club's history and is still in the fans' imagination.

MENGÃO'S NEXT CHALLENGE

While Adriano now follows as a fan, Flamengo returns to the field this Thursday (18) to face Estudiantes (ARG) , at Maracanã, for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. The match will be broadcast by ESPN (pay TV) and Disney+ (streaming), starting at 9:30 pm (Brasília time).

Flamengo published an official statement on Monday night (15) to alert the Red-Black Nation about a scam circulating on social media. Fans reported having been victims when trying to purchase tickets for the games against Estudiantes, for the Copa Libertadores , and against Vasco, for the Brazilian Championship.

According to the club, there is a fake website imitating Flamengo's official visual identity with the aim of misleading fans. The statement reinforces that the only official ticket sales channel is ingressos.flamengo.com.br.

"We would like to emphasize that all official ticket sales are made exclusively through the above platform. We ask the Red-Black Nation to be extra vigilant and avoid accessing or making any purchases on unofficial websites . If you have any questions, always consult the club's official channels," Flamengo said.

TICKETS AVAILABLE

For this Thursday's match (18), against Estudiantes, for the Copa Libertadores , there are only tickets left for the Maracanã Mais sector. The same is repeated for the duel against Vasco on the 21st, with only a few tickets remaining in the Maracanã Mais sector.

BUY ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

The club advises fans to report any ticket listings outside of official channels and not to make purchases through suspicious platforms . As the home team for both matches, Flamengo emphasizes that sales are only possible through the website ingressos.flamengo.com.br.

After leading the Brazilian national team in two World Cups, Tite arrived at Flamengo in 2023 with high expectations. However, despite a record of 70 matches, 41 wins, 13 draws, and 16 losses , the team's performance and the coaching choices were criticized by fans and management. His last game in charge was a 1-0 victory over Athletico-PR, with a goal by Gerson.

With Tite's departure, Filipe Luís took over as Flamengo's coach and has been one of the highlights of the 2025 season . The former full-back has received praise for his work at the club, while Tite remains a free agent, attracting interest from South American clubs and national teams.

According to GE reporter Bruno Cassucci, the Venezuelan Football Federation has opened talks with Tite to take over the team's leadership during the World Cup qualifiers . The goal is to leverage the Brazilian coach's experience to lead the country through the cycle until 2030.

TITE WILL UNDERGO KNEE SURGERY

According to Cassucci, Tite must undergo knee surgery before making a final decision about his career. Even so, the Venezuelan Federation doesn't see the surgery as an obstacle, as the South American qualifiers are on hold after the last FIFA World Cup.

AND FLAMENGO?

Flamengo faces Estudiantes this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. The duel marks the beginning of the knockout stage in the quarterfinals of the continental competition. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN , on pay TV, and on Disney+ for streaming.