Flamengo returns to Heriberto Hülse after 10 years; Retrospect at the Criciúma stadium is not favorable

Flamengo delivered a historic 8-0 thrashing of Vitória on Monday (25), in the 21st round of the Brasileirão. Among the highlights of the massacre at Maracanã, Pedro shone brightly: he scored three goals, took the game ball home and was even compared to Ronaldinho Gaúcho by the Spanish newspaper Sport.

Jornal Sport on Pedro, from Flamengo: "characteristic play of Ronaldinho's 'elastic'"

“In his third and final goal of the night, Pedro reproduced Ronaldinho's characteristic 'elastic' play inside the opponent's area and caused a stir in a Maracanã packed with more than 60 thousand people ,” the outlet published.

PEDRO ENTERS FLAMENGO'S HISTORIC TOP SCORER RANKING

With the hat trick, Pedro reached the mark of 148 goals for Flamengo and took 10th place on the list of all-time top scorers in the club's history , surpassing Zizinho (146). The number 9 now dreams of surpassing Gabigol, who has 161 goals and is ranked sixth.

HOW WERE PEDRO'S GOALS AGAINST VITÓRIA

• 1st goal (3' of the 1st half): Saúl recovered the ball, Arrascaeta passed it and Pedro finished with a chip, chipping the ball over goalkeeper Arcanjo.
• 2nd goal (47' of the 1st half): After receiving assistance from Samuel Lino, the center forward hit it firmly into the right corner to extend the lead.
• 3rd goal (14' of the 2nd half): Inside the area, Pedro controlled the ball, applied a disconcerting elastic to the marker and, face to face with Lucas Arcanjo, finished with class by chipping it, scoring a great goal.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT CHALLENGE

After the rout, Flamengo returns to the field on Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, against Grêmio, for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão . Mengão remains isolated at the top of the competition with 46 points, four more than Palmeiras, second place.

The CBF announced last Saturday (23) changes to the Brazilian football calendar. The decision displeased Flamengo , which declared itself disadvantaged in relation to the other clubs. Faced with criticism, the president of the entity, Samir Xaud, spoke out to justify the change .

CBF President on Flamengo's criticism: "The favoritism is for Brazilian football"

"The favoritism is for Brazilian football. We're here representing an institution, we have to make important decisions , and we saw the possibility of adjusting our dates to conclude the Brazilian Championship this year. I've received a lot of support from other clubs and the press, and what we want is to improve and adjust the Brazilian calendar, which didn't begin under my management," said Xaud.

He added: "We're working daily. Everyone knows that the Brazilian calendar is tight, due to the FIFA and CONMEBOL deadlines, and next year we'll still have the World Cup . We needed to make a decision, and we believe it was the right one. It wasn't to benefit A or B, but rather Brazilian football."

WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE CALENDAR?

The last round of the Brasileirão , previously scheduled for December 21, was brought forward to the 7th. As a result, the semifinals and finals of the Copa do Brasil were rescheduled for December 10, 14, 17 and 21. There is also the possibility that the first game of the final four will take place on November 26.

WAS FLAMENGO HARMED?

According to Flamengo's board, the change reduces preparation time for the rest of the season. Eliminated early from the Copa do Brasil, the team would have had five weeks off to train, recover players, and adjust the squad . Now, with the new schedule, Flamengo will have only one week off.

Behind the scenes, directors also believe that the decision could favor Cruzeiro, a direct rival in the fight for the Brazilian title alongside Palmeiras and Flamengo , which will have the Libertadores dates free, unlike Mengão and the alviverde, who remain in the competition.

The U-20 Club World Cup title , won last Saturday (23) against Barcelona (ESP), put Flamengo's young players in the spotlight on the international stage. One of the protagonists was Lorran, number 11 of the team, who scored a goal in the final and, soon after, had his future defined: the striker was loaned to Pisa (ITA) .

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the agreement provides for a payment of 500 thousand euros (a little over R$ 3 million) to Flamengo for the loan , in addition to a purchase clause set at 4 million euros (around R$ 25.2 million). Rubro-Negro , however, kept 50% of the player's economic rights, aiming for a return in case of future appreciation.

PISA HAD ALREADY TRIED TO HIRE

Newly promoted to the Italian top flight after 34 years, Pisa is seeking reinforcements to avoid immediate relegation . The club had already attempted to sign Lorran in July, offering a loan with an obligation to buy. Negotiations, however, failed at that time.

LORRAN BETWEEN BASE AND PROFESSIONAL

In the 2025 season, Lorran has been alternating between the U-20 team and the senior squad. With no room for Filipe Luís, the striker played in the World Youth Championship final and opened the scoring in the final against Barcelona . After a 2-2 draw in regulation time, Flamengo won on penalties and secured the title.

The youngster nearly left the club on two other occasions this year: first, there were advanced negotiations with CSKA Moscow (RUS), which ultimately fell through. Then, Fortaleza attempted to loan him out, but the club chose to hold on to him.