FLAMENGO OUT OF LIBERTADORES 2024? THE CLUB IS AT RISK OF LOSING A PLACE IN THE COMPETITION

The recent change in the Brazilian football calendar, promoted by the CBF, has generated strong dissatisfaction at Flamengo . The club's president, Luiz Eduardo Baptista (BAP), stated that the Rubro-Negro was consulted, presented its opposition , and was ultimately ignored by the organization.

Flamengo president Bap on CBF change: "They were supposed to evaluate it and never came back"

The changes defined the end of the Brasileirão to be brought forward to December 7th and the Copa do Brasil to be postponed to the same month, in order to avoid conflict with the Intercontinental Cup. For Flamengo , however, the decision directly affected their season planning.

PRIORITIES AT RISK

Since the beginning of the year, the club prioritized the Brasileirão and the Libertadores, even using mixed teams in the Copa do Brasil , which resulted in early elimination. However, the relegation was offset by the guaranteed free weeks for recovery and training, a benefit lost with the CBF's change. According to internal calculations, at least four rest dates were removed.

Bap lamented the incident and highlighted the organization's lack of response: " We clearly stated that our priorities were the Brasileirão and the Libertadores . They promised to evaluate the situation and never responded. They decided, and that was it," the director told journalist Rodrigo Mattos.

FLAMENGO X CBF: CONSULTATION WITHOUT RESPONSE

According to the journalist, the CBF consulted with Flamengo and Palmeiras before making a decision. The São Paulo club, more aligned with the organization, accepted the proposal. The Rubro-Negro, on the other hand, formalized its rejection in writing . Last Monday (25), after the 8-0 rout over Vitória, the Mais Querido released an official statement reaffirming its opposition and criticizing the CBF's unilateral decision.

Flamengo's institutional relations manager, Dekko Roisman, emphasized that elimination from the Copa do Brasil shouldn't negate the right to rest. Furthermore, the club was asked about the possibility of using an alternate team in the event of a clash between the Brasileirão and the Intercontinental Cup, but the response was categorical: such a change would only benefit the Libertadores winner and compromise the championship's equality.

Flamengo produced one of its most dominant performances of the season by thrashing Vitória 8-0 this Monday (25) at Maracanã. After the show on the field , the players were given Tuesday (26) off , as planned by the coaching staff.

The squad's return is scheduled for this Wednesday (27), at 9:30 am (Brasília time), at Ninho do Urubu. From then on, coach Filipe Luís will begin preparing for the team's next match, against Grêmio, on Sunday (31).

The coach will have four days of training to fine-tune details and maintain the high level of performance shown against the Bahian team. This should be coach Filipe Luís's last long break from training after the CBF changed the Brasileirão schedule.

WHEN AND WHERE DOES FLAMENGO X GRÊMIO TAKE PLACE?

The match will be played on Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. The teams face each other at different moments in the table . Flamengo is the leader of the Brasileirão, with 46 points, while Grêmio occupies 14th place, with 24 points.

WHERE TO WATCH THE GAME

Flamengo vs. Grêmio will be broadcast on Globo (free-to-air TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view) , with expectations for another packed Maracanã stadium. Fans can stay up to date with all the details of the match and Mengão's day-to-day activities at Gazeta do Urubu.

Flamengo recently made the largest investment in its history in a single transfer window, spending almost R$300 million on the signing of four players. Two of them, Saúl and Samuel Lino, have already established themselves as starters and shone in the 8-0 rout of Vitória on Monday (25). Meanwhile, Royal and Carrascal are still going through an adaptation period, but receive frequent praise from coach Filipe Luís.

SALES AND HIRING POLICY

The club's board of directors does not intend to sell any more starters in the window that ends on September 2nd. Negotiations will only be considered for players who have lost their place. On the other hand, the club is not planning any new signings at this time . This information comes from the 'GE' portal.

In 2024, as a strategy to balance its cash flow, Flamengo let go of key players like Fabrício Bruno, Alcaraz, Wesley, and Gerson. For 2026, president Bap's order is different: the priority is to maintain the starting lineup, even in the face of European pressure .

Defenders Léo Ortiz and Léo Pereira, for example, are already attracting interest from European clubs. Flamengo is initially considering releasing them, unless they pay their release clause . Furthermore, the club is considering bringing in a young, starting defender to alternate with the duo and Danilo, increasing internal competition.

RENEWALS IN FOCUS

Alongside protecting its squad, Flamengo is also moving to renew contracts. After extending Varela's contract, the club opened negotiations to extend the stay of coach Filipe Luís . The trend is toward continuity, as both parties are interested.

Another priority is Arrascaeta . The midfielder began talks in the first half of the year, but negotiations were frozen, as his contract runs until the end of 2026. The Uruguayan, however, increased his value even further by becoming the most decisive player of the season, with 16 goals and 13 assists. Rossi and Pedro, who have contracts until December 2027, have also expressed interest in renewing their contracts with the club.