Flamengo reappears aiming for return to the Brazilian Championship against São Paulo

Flamengo's Deliberative Council approved, this Tuesday (19), the master sponsorship contract with Betano , one of the global leaders in sports betting. The link will begin on August 20, 2025 and will remain valid until December 31, 2028 , guaranteeing the club R$268 million per season. The agreement is considered the largest ever signed in national football.

The partnership includes brand exposure on the uniforms of the professional team and also on Olympic sports such as volleyball, basketball, and women's soccer. Additionally, the company will be featured on Flamengo TV content, expanding commercial integration and global visibility. The board emphasizes that the agreement is not limited to financial support, but opens doors to new business opportunities.

AGREEMENT PUTS FLAMENGO AT 'OTO' LEVEL

With values comparable to those of European football giants, the contract brings Flamengo closer to clubs like Real Madrid, PSG, and Barcelona. For comparison, Flamengo's partnership surpasses sponsorships from clubs like Ajax, whose partnership with Ziggo generates only €8 million (approximately R$51 million) per year. This amount places the Brazilian team in 10th place in the world rankings for largest sponsorship deals.

PRESIDENT WILL PARTICIPATE IN LIVE

This Wednesday (20), at 8:30 am, president Luiz Eduardo Baptista , known as Bap, will be live on Flamengo TV alongside Guilherme Augusto Figueiredo, General Director of Betano Brasil. The conversation will be led by João Guilherme and will cover the details of the negotiation considered historic.

OUR TEAM ON THE FIELD

Flamengo returns to the field this Wednesday (20) to face Internacional, in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. The ball rolls at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Beira-Rio . In the first leg, played at Maracanã, Rubro-Negro won 1-0, with a goal from Bruno Henrique, and now plays for a draw to advance to the quarterfinals.

Striker Juninho traveled with the Flamengo squad to Porto Alegre, where the team faces Internacional this Wednesday (20) , for the decisive clash of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. However, the player's use is not yet confirmed . Out of the last match against Colorado for the Brazilian Championship, the center forward lost space in recent weeks and was not related in three consecutive games, including the first leg duel at Maracanã.

Internally, the club's board is evaluating the athlete's future, as he has received inquiries from Saudi Arabian football clubs, with loan proposals rejected by the club. Previously, Juninho was close to a move to Sevilla earlier this year.

Negotiations, however, were halted after coach Filipe Luís intervened, contacting the striker to convince him to join Mengão's project. The investment was substantial: R$37.2 million to acquire the number 23, who currently has no place on the team.

JUNE NUMBERS IN 2025

In 2025, Juninho played 22 matches for Flamengo , scoring just three goals and providing no assists. He played 726 minutes that season, almost always sporadically used by Filipe Luís. In the Carioca Championship, he appeared in eight matches and scored two goals.

He has already played six times in the Brasileirão, without finding the net. In the Libertadores, he played four games and scored one goal , while in the national cups and the Club World Cup, he failed to stand out.

Internacional has announced the players selected for the game against Flamengo , valid for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. The match will be played this Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm, at the Beira-Rio Stadium. Colorado needs to win by two goals to qualify directly. If they win by just one goal, the decision will go to penalties.

The big addition to the Rio Grande do Sul delegation is striker Carbonero, who has recovered from a left thigh muscle injury. He's competing for a starting spot with Tabata, who returns from suspension. Another important addition is midfielder Alan Patrick, the team's captain , who was rested for the last Brasileirão match and is once again a key player in creating attacking plays.

PROBABLE INTERNATIONAL

Internacional's likely starting lineup to face Flamengo should include Rochet; Aguirre, Vitão, Juninho and Bernabei; Thiago Maia, Alan Rodríguez, Wesley, Alan Patrick and Carbonero (Tabata); Ricardo Mathias.

RELATED FROM COLORADO

Goalkeepers: Anthoni and Rochet

Full-backs: Aguirre, Alan Benítez and Bernabei

Defenders: Clayton Sampaio, Juninho, Victor Gabriel and Vitão

Defensive midfielders: Alan Rodríguez, Bruno Henrique, Luis Otávio, Richard, Ronaldo and Thiago Maia

Midfielders: Alan Patrick, Gustavo Prado, Romero and Tabata

Forwards: Borré, Carbonero, Ricardo Mathias and Valencia