Filipe Luís evaluates renewal and asks Flamengo for 'time' to think about it

Corinthians made official, this Monday (11), the signing of striker Vitinho. After passing the medical exams, the player signed a contract valid until December 31, 2026. The athlete was free on the market since leaving Al-Ettifaq, from Saudi Arabia , and arrives without transfer costs.

" I'm very happy and very grateful to God and Corinthians for this opportunity . It's an honor to be here wearing the Corinthians jersey. The expectations are immense. I want to be on the field as soon as possible. Be with the Faithful, be with my teammates, and achieve the club's goals," Vitinho told the club's official website.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

At 31, Vitinho will be another option for coach Dorival Júnior in attack. In Saudi Arabia, he played 65 matches, scored 12 goals, and provided 10 assists. Discovered by Botafogo in 2011, the striker quickly attracted attention and, in 2013 , transferred to CSKA Moscow, where he remained until 2018.

During this period, he spent two years on loan at Internacional, totaling 84 appearances, 18 goals, and nine assists. At the Russian club, he scored 18 goals and provided nine decisive passes before joining Flamengo in 2018.

A REMARKABLE PASSAGE AT FLAMENGO

After his experience in Russia, Vitinho was signed by Flamengo, where he participated in historic campaigns and won significant titles . Among them, two Copa Libertadores (2019 and 2022) and two Brazilian Championships (2019 and 2020) stand out, as well as trophies from the Copa do Brasil, Supercopa do Brasil, Recopa Sudamericana and Campeonato Carioca.

Wesley's departure paved the way for Guillermo Varela to take over as Flamengo's starting right-back. Despite Emerson Royal's arrival, the new signing is still struggling to adapt and find his rhythm, giving the Uruguayan a chance to establish himself in the position.

Starting in the Copa do Brasil match against Atlético-MG, the full-back performed consistently both defensively and offensively , despite the team's penalty shootout. He didn't play in the previous match against Ceará in the Campeonato Brasileiro , giving way to Royal, who isn't yet fully fit. While the newly signed player seeks to establish himself, the veteran remains in the running for a starting spot.

CONTRACT RENEWAL

Besides competing on the field, Varela is also experiencing a significant moment off it. The full-back's contract with the club runs until the end of 2025 and, starting mid-next year , could sign a pre-contract with another team. However, his desire is to remain at Mengão.

Negotiations for the renewal began in March and have always been positive. According to information gathered by Gazeta do Urubu , the final details of the new contract have already been finalized. The official announcement is expected in the coming days, after adjustments to the player's requested amount.

VERSATILITY PLEASE THE COMMISSION

Throughout the season, Varela stood out for his versatility. Besides performing well at right back, he also played on the left when coach Filipe Luís needed to cover for absences . At specific moments, he even played as a defensive midfielder, a position for which he also received praise. This versatility was one of the factors that influenced the board to move forward with the renewal.

After beating Mirassol in the Brazilian Championship last Saturday (09) and enjoying Sunday off, the Flamengo squad returned this Monday (11) to begin preparations for the next commitment.

The opponent will be Internacional, in a first-leg match of the Copa Libertadores Round of 16. Under the command of Filipe Luís, the athletes began training this morning at CT Ninho do Urubu, fully focused on the duel that will be played at Maracanã.

TRAINING SCHEDULE

On Monday, the group trained at 9:30 am. On Tuesday (12), work begins at 3:30 pm and should serve for the coach to define the starting lineup to face Internacional. The duel is scheduled for Wednesday (13), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), and will be the first of 180 minutes to decide who advances to the quarterfinals.

EXPECTATION OF A FULL HOUSE

The Maracanã is expected to have a good crowd to support Flamengo in the first leg of the knockout stage . Fans hope the team will take advantage of home advantage and build an advantage for the second leg. For those unable to attend the stadium, the match will be broadcast live on TV Globo (free-to-air), ESPN (pay TV), and Disney+ (streaming).

GAME SERVICE

Monday (11): Training – 9:30 am

Tuesday (12): Training – 3:30 pm

Wednesday (13): Flamengo x Internacional – 9:30 pm (Maracanã)