FLAMENGO DOMINATES THE DEFENSE IN THE 2024 SERIES

The draw between Flamengo and Grêmio at Maracanã, in the 22nd round of the Brasileirão , drew strong criticism from technical director José Boto. In an interview given in the mixed zone, the director pointed out errors by Paulo César Zanovelli's refereeing, which, in his view, would have hampered the Mais Querido's offensive performance.

According to José Boto , the number of fouls called against the team does not reflect their performance on the field. Mengão finished the match with 67% possession and 26 shots on goal, but the referee called 18 fouls against the red-blacks , seven more than Grêmio, who only committed 11.

"I don't think it was the main factor [for the draw], there were many factors. We had a lot of shots, we didn't get them right and the goalkeeper made saves. [Refereeing] It's worrying because it hinders our attacking avalanche. It's not the first time it's happened, it takes away the fluidity of our game and I don't think it's by chance... I don't know, we need to be very attentive to this [about a possible conspiracy]", declared the director.

ARBITRATION STANDARD

Boto reinforced his dissatisfaction by highlighting that the high number of fouls committed against a team that maintained greater offensive volume and possession of the ball would be "impossible" to happen naturally.

"The opponents play with the weapons they have [regarding fouls]. The stupidity is the referee's. It's impossible that we have 67% possession, shoot 26 times, and the referee manages to give us more fouls. That's impossible. A team that has more offensive volume doesn't commit more fouls than one that spends the whole time defending," said the Flamengo director.

DECISIONS THAT HARMED

Finally, the director reiterated that he sees a pattern of decisions that are detrimental to Flamengo: "This is a pattern that has already been verified. It can't happen. The opponents play as best they can and know how. All styles of play are legitimate. What can't happen is refereeing that harms us, disrupts the rhythm of the game . It's not the penalty, it was well-deserved. It's stalling the game, giving cards to our players when they don't even commit fouls. This type of refereeing, which isn't the first time, is something we need to be aware of."

Still unsure whether they will have Lucas Paquetá until the end of the season , West Ham won their first victory in the Premier League this Sunday (31) . In the third round of the competition, the team beat Nottingham Forest away from home 3-0, in a match marked by efficiency in the final minutes.

OPPONENT DOMINATION, WEST HAM EFFICIENCY

Despite the heavy score, West Ham struggled again. Controlled by Nottingham Forest for much of the match, the London team benefited from their rival's inability to finish plays . When they had the opportunity, they were decisive.

All three goals came in the final six minutes. Bowen opened the scoring, and the home side completely lost their way. Lucas Paquetá then doubled the lead with a penalty , and Callum Wilson sealed the victory, securing the Hammers' first win of the season.

PAQUETÁ MARKS AND SENDS A MESSAGE IN THE CELEBRATION

During the celebration, Paquetá made a gesture of connection with his hand and then feigned a refusal. He then kissed the West Ham crest. This gesture was interpreted as a response to rumors of a possible transfer to Aston Villa , a club that had expressed interest in the Brazilian.

HOW MUCH WILL FLAMENGO PROFIT FROM THE SALE?

Having nurtured the player in its youth academy, Flamengo is entitled to approximately 4% of the total value of each international transfer for Paquetá . Based on the £47 million offer, the Rio de Janeiro club stands to receive approximately £1.88 million (R$13.8 million) at the current exchange rate.

The clash between Flamengo and Grêmio, held this Sunday (31) at Maracanã, for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship , ended in a 1-1 draw. Mais Querido opened the scoring early in the final stage, with Arrascaeta finishing after a good exchange of passes. However, in the decisive stretch , Tiago Volpi converted a penalty and guaranteed the draw for the visitors.

In the first half, Filipe Luís 's team dominated, maintaining possession and pressuring the opposing defense. Pedro and Léo Pereira created good opportunities, forcing Volpi into crucial saves, and Noriega blocked a shot almost on the line . On the Grêmio side, counterattacks were neutralized, leaving Rossi with little trouble in the red-and-black goal.

FLAMENGO WILL HAVE TWO WEEKS

With the draw, Flamengo remains top of the Brasileirão and will now have a two-week break due to the FIFA World Cup. The Brazilian national team will play its final rounds of World Cup qualifying between September 1st and 9th.

The red-and-black team returns to action on the 14th, against Juventude, at 4 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Alfredo Jaconi stadium, with coverage on Globo and Premiere. In the first round, the match ended in a 6-0 rout at the Maracanã stadium, a match that marked Pedro's return from a serious injury, with the striker scoring two goals.

FLAMENGO CALENDAR

After facing Juventude , the Rubro-Negro will have a busy next match, facing Vasco in the Brasileirão and, in the middle of the schedule, hosting Estudiantes in the Libertadores. The break is seen as an opportunity for tactical adjustments and physical recovery for the squad, which aims to maintain its lead in the national tournament and advance in international competitions.