FLAMENGO SIGN UP PROMISE PLAYER, SHOLA, FOR LIBERTADORES U-20

Announced over a week ago, Nuno Campos has not yet been able to officially take over Mengão's U-20s . The coach is still waiting for his work permit to be approved by Conmebol. With that, Leonardo Ramos, current U-16 commander, will once again be in charge of the team in the duel against Fluminense this Thursday (3) , for the Brazilian Championship.

"We are waiting for the release so that he can effectively start his work," said a source close to the club.

Even though he will not be able to be on the pitch, Campos will watch the match from a booth at the Moça Bonita stadium, giving instructions via radio to Leonardo Ramos. The same strategy was used in the 5-0 defeat to Vasco. The arrival of Nuno Campos is part of the restructuring process of CRF's youth football, led by José Boto.

PORTUGUESE TECHNICIANS AND THE IMPACT ON THE BASE

The goal is to align the methodology of the lower categories with the philosophy of the main team. Within this context, one of the main changes was the departure of Cleber dos Santos , announced by the club this Wednesday (2). Even though he left the position with the conquest of the U-20 Libertadores, Cleber dos Santos is no longer part of the club's plans.

Now, Nuno Campos is taking on the mission of improving the team's performance, which has been criticized for its poor start to the competition and performances below expectations. José Boto's work with Flamengo's youth team has been receiving praise from other football professionals. In an interview with "Charla Podcast", Portuguese coach Antônio Oliveira highlighted the importance of creating a game identity from the lower categories.

NEXT STEPS FOR THE U-20

While Nuno Campos awaits his release, Flamengo continues its journey in the U-20 Brasileirão under the interim command of Leonardo Ramos. The tendency is that Conmebol will resolve the bureaucratic issue in the next few days, allowing the coach to take over the position permanently. The team is seeking recovery after a difficult start to the competition and the heavy defeat to Vasco. The expectation is that, with José Boto's new methodology, the team will find a more efficient playing pattern and return to showing good results in the tournament.

This past Tuesday (1) the second leg matches of the quarter-finals of the Uefa Youth League were held. The champion of the U-20 Libertadores, Flamengo, awaits the champion of the European competition to find out who they will face in the World Cup in the category.

QUARTER-FINAL MATCH SUMMARY

With the competition heading towards the semi-finals, there are only four teams left to fight for a place in the grand final. AZ Alkmaar, from the Netherlands, advanced after eliminating Manchester City (ENG) in a decisive clash with a goal in injury time, advancing 1-0.

Barcelona managed to impose their favoritism against Stuttgart, from Germany, and secured their place in the semi-finals after winning 2-1. Trabzonspor, from Turkey, also advanced, eliminating Internazionale (ITA) by a score of 1-0 .

Another team that was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League was the runner-up of the 2024 U-20 World Cup, where they lost to Flamengo , Olympiacos (GRE). The Greek team was beaten 1-0 by RB Salzburg.

U-20 WORLD CUP DATE

So far, FIFA has not yet defined the date and location of the U-20 World Cup match against Flamengo . This issue should only be decided once the UEFA Youth League has come to an end and there is a winner.

Flamengo officially announced on Wednesday night (02) the dismissal of coach Cleber dos Santos, who until then was in charge of the under-20 team. Even after winning the Libertadores in the category last month, the coach was dismissed from the club, making room for the arrival of Portuguese Nuno Campos.

The decision was communicated through an official note : “Coach Cleber dos Santos is no longer part of the technical committee of Flamengo's youth teams. The club thanks him for his services and wishes him success in the continuation of his career” , informed the Rubro-Negro's communications department.

CLEBER DOS SANTOS WAS IMPORTANT BEFORE LEAVING THE CLUB

In addition to the continental title, Cleber played a relevant role in the 2025 season by leading Mais Querido's alternative team during the first rounds of the Campeonato Carioca. Under his command, the team scored crucial points to win the Taça Guanabara. “We would have liked to have had better results, but it was a valuable experience for the players and contributed to their development,” said the coach.

To replace Cleber dos Santos, Flamengo opted to hire Portuguese coach Nuno Campos , a 49-year-old who previously worked for Toluca in Mexico. He takes charge of the under-20 category with the mission of maintaining the team's high competitive level.

The new commander is not arriving alone. Along with him, Gonçalo Cruz was announced as assistant coach. On Tuesday (25), Nuno Campos already led his first activity at CT Ninho do Urubu, starting work for the 'Clássico dos Milhões' this Friday (28).

WHO IS NUNO CAMPOS

Nuno Campos has experience in European football, working as an assistant coach at several clubs on the continent. With a modern style of play and backed by his relationship with José Boto, Flamengo 's football director, he has carte blanche to implement his methodology at the club's youth academy.