Flamengo opens its eyes after optional point given by the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro

Spanish midfielder Saúl experienced a weekend of intense emotions on and off the field. One of the key players in Flamengo's 2-0 victory over Juventude in the Brazilian Championship , he played the full 90 minutes despite accumulated fatigue. He had traveled to attend the birth of his third child and, despite having little rest, contributed an assist in the match played in Caxias do Sul.

" It's been crazy. Marco was born at 4:16 a.m. Luckily, everything went very well; my wife is already home with him. We spent the whole night at the hospital. At 6 a.m., we went to our room, and at 8 a.m., they sent me a message from the club telling me to try to get to training at Ninho do Urubu," Saúl reported.

STEERING WHEEL FACES DAWN IN CLEAR

Freed to spend Saturday with his family, Saúl had to wake up at dawn again to travel from Saturday to Sunday to meet the red-and-black delegation. The Spaniard had only 40 minutes of rest before taking the field .

"I went home, met my other two children, and took them to the hospital so they could meet Marco. We stayed until 7:30 or 8:00 p.m., and then we all went home. Then I went to bed, woke up at 3:00 a.m., and arrived at the airport at 5:00 a.m. I caught a flight to Campinas and then to Caxias do Sul. I went straight to the hotel and managed to rest for about 40 minutes. It was a rush. The important thing is that everything went well," he said.

SAÚL RECEIVES PRAISES FROM FILIPE LUÍS

An undisputed starter in Flamengo 's midfield, Saúl has been a mainstay of the team under Filipe Luís. The coach even stated that "we're seeing the best Saúl, perhaps the best of his career ."

The midfielder, however, prefers to keep his feet on the ground. " I don't think so. I think I've had some really good times. Mentally, I'm in a great place. My family is with me on this adventure, and I know it's not easy for my wife ," he said before concluding.

"Every time I spend with my teammates, I aim to participate, but for those who follow us, it's never easy. I've had some very memorable moments, and now I'm experiencing another very good one too. We can have bad times, it's part of the game, so we have to enjoy the good ones too," he said.

After ending his professional career, Diego Ribas, former Flamengo midfielder , remains engaged in social causes. This Monday (15), he participated in an action promoted by Comlurb, working as a street cleaner for a day . The objective of the initiative was to raise awareness among the population about the importance of urban cleaning and environmental preservation.

During the experience, Diego Ribas wore the municipal company's orange uniform and shared images of the moment on his social media. In the video, he emphasized the importance of recognizing the work of the professionals who work daily to maintain the city's streets and beaches. " Today, I'll truly experience the world of street cleaners, together with the Comlurb team ," said the former player.

FORMER FLAMENGO PLAYER

During the event, Diego drew attention to the significant amount of trash collected on Rio de Janeiro's beaches. " More than 50,000 tons of trash were collected from Rio's beaches last summer, including 3,000 tons from Barra Beach alone, exactly where I participated in this experiment ," he said.

The former midfielder emphasized the importance of educating the public about proper waste disposal. " It was amazing to understand the effort these people make every day; we collect everything. There's always the option of throwing trash in the trash, but we'll do it differently next summer," he added.

DIEGO RIBAS' VICTORIOUS TRAJECTORY

Diego Ribas built a remarkable career at Flamengo between 2016 and 2022. During that time, he played approximately 263 official matches and scored approximately 42 goals . His performance in midfield was decisive during one of the most successful periods in the club's recent history.

Jorge Carrascal completed, this Sunday (14), his fourth match with the Flamengo shirt. In the red-black triumph over Juventude, the Colombian midfielder demonstrated evolution , greater intensity and active participation in the game. Even playing for only 12 minutes, he managed to make the most of the opportunities.

During his brief time on the field, Carrascal provided a decisive assist and created another clear scoring chance. He also stood out for his accuracy: he completed nine of his 11 attempted passes , directly contributing to the team's offensive performance. His performance drew attention for his directness and agility in executing plays.

CARRASCAL NUMBERS SHOW RESISTANCE

In addition to his passes and assists, Carrascal won three of the four individual duels , demonstrating physical fitness and competitiveness. He also excelled at dribbling, completing 100% of his attempts. These indicators reinforce the Colombian's growing confidence in Filipe Luís's squad.

According to Sofascore data, the midfielder received a rating of 7.4, his highest since joining the club. Consistent performance increases his chances of earning more minutes and a starting role in the coming rounds.

FLAMENGO PREPARES FOR THE LIBERTADORES

After the victory over Juventude, Flamengo turns its focus to the Copa Libertadores. The team faces Estudiantes, from Argentina, on Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the first game of the quarterfinals .