FIFA Awards announces winners this Tuesday (17th); Vinicius Jr, ex-Flamengo, is one of the favorites

The most expensive signing in Flamengo's history, striker Samuel Lino was once again the target of criticism from the red-black fans . After the 1-0 defeat to Bahia, last Sunday (5), in the Brazilian Championship , the player's name was graffitied on one of the walls of the club's headquarters, in Gávea, south of Rio de Janeiro.

The graffiti, "$. Lino peladeiro," expresses the dissatisfaction of some fans with the striker's recent performances , which have been inconsistent since his arrival at the club. In addition to the player, the protest also targeted Flamengo president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, who was called "negligible."

FILIPE LUÍS COMES TO THE DEFENSE

Despite the pressure on the player, coach Filipe Luís once again defended the striker after the game. The coach praised Lino's effort, especially considering that Flamengo had been playing with ten men since the 15th minute of the first half, following the sending off of defender Danilo.

" It's difficult to judge a player in a game where we were down so early. He had to help a lot in the marking and still created chances. Sometimes, there's a fine line between scoring and not scoring. Unfortunately, he didn't score, and then we ended up conceding," said Filipe Luís.

SECOND POSITION AND CLASSIC

With the result, Flamengo dropped to second place in the Brasileirão with 55 points, the same number as Palmeiras, who lead with one more win. The team will now return to action on October 15th against Botafogo at Nilton Santos Stadium at 7:30 pm. The squad was given Monday off after returning to Rio.

Bahia defeated Flamengo 1-0 , and Rogério Ceni revealed that the team's strategy was inspired by Cruzeiro. The coach emphasized that the selection of quick players to exploit space ended up being decisive , especially in the play that resulted in Danilo's sending-off in the first half.

According to Ceni, Cruzeiro had caused Flamengo problems by exploiting Kaio Jorge and full-back William's movements in midfield. With this in mind, Bahia used Ademir and Thiago to fulfill similar roles. It was during one of these plays that Thiago was fouled by Danilo, who was sent off after just 12 minutes.

" We made a good choice in our strategy, trying to play with Thiago and Ademir to exploit their speed . So much so that the sending-off came from a long ball, which is how we saw Cruzeiro hurt Flamengo the most," said the coach.

EXPULSION OF DANILO

Ceni emphasized that the set play didn't result in a direct goal, but it did change the balance of the match. With an extra player for almost the entire match, Bahia managed possession better and scored the winning goal through Willian José. " This led to the sending off, which from then on made a balanced game easier , making things a little more favorable for us," the coach added.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Flamengo , which dropped to second place after the setback, will return to action on October 15th, after the FIFA International Matchday. The team will face Botafogo at Nilton Santos Stadium at 7:30 pm for the 28th round of the Brasileirão . The team will have Monday off after returning to Rio de Janeiro.

Flamengo defender Danilo was sent off in the first half of the 1-0 defeat against Bahia , last Sunday (5), at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador. After the final whistle, the defender made a self-criticism and publicly apologized to his teammates and the fans . According to him, the expulsion directly compromised the team's performance.

"I want to apologize to my teammates and the Flamengo fans, because obviously, a sending-off so early affects the match and puts my teammates in a difficult and demanding situation. This is an apology to my teammates and to the fans who always support me ," he declared.

" In my opinion, I didn't hit my opponent in the face, and I tried to argue politely, as I always do. He didn't give me any openings. Perhaps, if it were against me, I would have complained too. I recognize that I could have approached the situation differently," he added.

FLAMENGO LOSES TWO PLAYERS

With the red card, Danilo is automatically suspended for Flamengo 's next Brasileirão match. The match will be against Botafogo on October 15th, at 7:30 pm, at Nilton Santos Stadium, in the Brazilian Championship . Alongside him, forward Wallace Yan, also sent off against Bahia, will be out of the team.

FLAMENGO LOSES LEADERSHIP

With the result, Flamengo dropped to second place in the table with 55 points, the same score as Palmeiras , who took the lead with one more win, a tiebreaker. Cruzeiro, with 51 points, still has a game to play in the round and could close the gap. Botafogo, the club's next opponent, is in fourth place with 43 points. Bahia, with the victory, moved up to fifth.