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The defeat to Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup brought an even more bitter consequence for Flamengo. Erick Pulgar, a regular starter in midfield, suffered a fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot and is a concern for the team's medical department. The Chilean will be re-evaluated in Rio de Janeiro, but initial signs indicate a recovery time of over two months.

The injury occurred in the 42nd minute of the first half, shortly after Pulgar fouled Harry Kane . He was left on the ground in intense pain and had to be substituted before half-time. In 2023, the same player had already suffered a similar problem, spending 69 days away from the pitch.

A PROBLEM AHEAD IN FILIPE LUÍS' CAST

The feeling within the club is not the best. A person connected to Flamengo's football department, interviewed by the Coluna do Fla portal, admitted that the current situation could be even more delicate than the previous one. "Now it seems to be worse (the player's situation), we'll find out in Rio", said the source.

A TIME OF BAD CHOICES

The number 5 was in good form and was a key player in the structure set up by Filipe Luís in the midfield. His absence represents a significant gap, especially given the tight schedule and other expected absences for the main squad.

Even with the worrying diagnosis, the Flamengo football leadership is cautious and avoiding any immediate movement in the market. According to an investigation by Coluna do Fla, the internal understanding is that the team has viable alternatives to fill Pulgar's absence. Pulgar's absence coincides with the imminent departure of Gerson, who is negotiating his transfer to Russian or Arab football . This means that Flamengo, in a few days, will see two important names in the sector no longer available.

Carlo Ancelotti's wish is very close to coming true for the Brazilian national team. The CBF has made contact and arranged to move the match against Chile, the team's penultimate match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, to Maracanã. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has already made contact with Flamengo and Fluminense, the stadium's administrators, and arranged for the match scheduled for September 4th to be held.

SAME OPPONENT

Coincidentally, the last game of the National Team at Maracanã was against Chile, in March 2022, for the Qatar World Cup Qualifiers : 4-0, with goals from Neymar, Vini Jr, Philippe Coutinho and Richarlison. The moment on that occasion was better.

The CBF wanted to take the match to Rio Grande do Sul, in honor of the victims of the flood in April last year. However, Beira-Rio will have a concert by Gilberto Gil on September 6. Another alternative was Mineirão, which also has a concert schedule close to the date of the match.

After Chile, the Brazilian team faces Bolivia on September 9 , away from home – at the altitude of the South American country.

SELECTION SCHEDULE

• September 2025: Last two rounds of the Qualifiers. Brazil faces Chile at home and closes its participation in the tournament against Bolivia at the altitude of El Alto;
• October 2025: CBF plans friendlies against Asian teams. There is already an invitation from Japan and there has been contact with South Korea;
• November 2025: The intention is to face African opponents, probably in Europe;
• March 2026: FIFA sees this date as very important, as it is the last one before the World Cup call-up; CBF wants to schedule friendlies against top-level European opponents;
• June 2026: Before the World Cup, the national team will have time to play one or two more friendlies and wants to face European teams again. This time, however, the tendency is to face second-tier rivals, in North America.

After being eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup , Flamengo is going through a restructuring process. The name that has been talked about the most at the moment is Gerson. The 28-year-old midfielder is unlikely to wear the red-and-black jersey again, and the board of directors is already considering this scenario as irreversible. The problem is that the fate of the team is not yet set in stone.

Zenit , from Russia, was the first to make a move. The club signaled the payment of the 25 million euro (around R$160 million) termination fee, an amount that, according to ge, is already considered accepted by Flamengo. However, even with everything in place with the Russians, a new element got in the way: Jorge Jesus.

SOME EXITS STILL WITH NO DIRECTION

Al-Nassr, from Saudi Arabia, showed interest at the last minute and messed with the player's mind. Jorge Jesus, the new coach of the Saudi club and an old acquaintance of Gerson, made direct contact and is trying to convince the midfielder to choose the Arab project. In addition to the coach's figure, the salary offered by Al-Nassr is considerably higher than that proposed by Zenit.

GERSON MAY GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION

Even before the World Cup, the atmosphere between Gerson and the fans was not the best. The midfielder's attitude on the field was the target of criticism, and the news that he was willing to transfer to Russian football upset part of the nation. His discreet performance in the World Cup, combined with his colder behavior behind the scenes, only increased the certainty that his stay is unsustainable.

According to sources close to the player's staff, Jorge Jesus has been persistent in contacting Gerson. The relationship built at Flamengo and maintained even after the coach's departure in 2020 is very important. The Portuguese coach sees the number 8 as an important piece for his new project at Al-Nassr, which also has big names such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Brozović, given that Gerson has given the "ok" to the negotiation according to the GE portal.