FLAMENGO REKENSES INTEREST IN THE BRASILEIRÃO'S PLAYER

In the opening of the second half of the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo showed superiority and defeated Internacional 3-1 this Sunday (17), at Beira-Rio. Pedro, twice, and Plata guaranteed the goals that consolidated the team's isolated leadership in the competition . In addition to the result, the match was also special for De La Cruz , who returned to action after a period of absence.

After the final whistle, the Uruguayan spoke about the recent controversy involving doctor José Luiz Runco , stating that he was confident in his physical condition and reinforcing that he was fit for the rest of the season.

De La Cruz vents: "Nobody knows my body"

" Nobody knows my body better than me. Today I felt good . I'll keep working to keep playing. Then, the coach will put the players on the field. I'll try to be available for the upcoming games; I'm working on that. There's more on Wednesday," he said.

HALF REVEALS FAMILY SUPPORT

The midfielder then emphasized his focus on work and downplayed outside comments . He also revealed his family's support during the turbulent period behind the scenes at the club, with the former doctor being fired shortly thereafter.

"I stayed with my family. I think a lot has been said, a lot has happened . Now I'm not going to talk; I'm focusing on what I have to do. Regardless of what people say, I know what I have to do. I'm focused and I have to work hard to play. I'm calm. I came back feeling great today, and I'm very happy about that," he concluded.

FLAMENGO FACE INTER AGAIN

After their Brasileirão victory, Flamengo turns their attention to the Libertadores. The Rio de Janeiro team faces Internacional again this Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Beira-Rio. Having won the first leg 1-0 at Maracanã, Filipe Luís's team has the advantage of a draw to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the continental competition.

Technical reference of the squad, Arrascaeta registered an expressive mark this Sunday (17). The Uruguayan midfielder reached his 100th assist with the red-black shirt by participating directly in the 3-1 victory over Internacional, in Porto Alegre.

During the match, valid for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship , the number 10 was decisive by distributing two passes that resulted in goals by Pedro and Plata, consolidating the dominance of the Rio de Janeiro team in the opening of the second half.

In addition to the 100 assists accumulated since his arrival, Arrascaeta has 14 goals and 11 assists in 2025. In the Brazilian Championship, he is the team's top scorer with 10 goals, confirming his prominence in different competitions.

FLAMENGO DEFEATS INTERNACIONAL

With the victory at Beira-Rio, the team remained undisputed at the top of the Brasileirão. Pedro, who scored twice, and Plata, who also made his mark, completed the scoring for the visiting team. The match also marked the return of Arrascaeta, who was absent from the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 against the same opponent.

FLAMENGO WILL HAVE A NEW CHALLENGE

After winning 1-0 at Maracanã in the first leg, Flamengo will face Internacional again next Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. The team enters the field with the advantage of a draw to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the continental tournament.

Flamengo confirmed this Monday (18) a new sponsorship agreement with Betano, a company in the sports betting sector. The announcement was made on the club's official social networks , a few days after the break with PixBet, a former partner.

The partnership includes men's and women's soccer, Olympic sports, and Flamengo's own communications platform, Flamengo TV . Although the contract length and value have not been disclosed, the club has received offers worth over R$200 million annually , solidifying the Mais Querido as the highest-paid team in terms of master sponsorship in Brazil.

PIXBET EXIT WAS MOTIVATED

The relationship with PixBet ended after the company experienced financial difficulties and failed to fulfill its contractual commitments. The bookmaker, which had signed an agreement in 2024 with the possibility of automatic renewal for another two years, chose not to activate the clause due to cash flow problems.

If the renewal had been exercised, Mengão would have received around R$250 million additionally , in addition to a R$50 million bonus related to the partnership with FlaBet, the club's official betting house, which will also cease its operations with the departure of PixBet.

NEW CONTRACT REINFORCES MARKET POWER

With the arrival of Betano, Flamengo reaffirms its strength in the sponsorship market and expands its international reach , as the company also sponsors major clubs in Europe and Latin America. The agreement places Flamengo in the absolute lead among Brazilian clubs in terms of amounts received per master sponsor.