Flamengo remains attentive to the situation of a Santos player on the market

Flamengo faces Estudiantes, this Thursday (25), in La Plata, for the second leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals. For the decision, Rubro-Negro enters the field with only one suspended player: Guillermo Varela .

The Uruguayan right-back has two yellow cards, both received in the round of 16 clashes against Internacional. If he receives another yellow card, he will be suspended for the first leg of the semifinals, should they qualify . Varela is expected to start against Argentina, as he did not play in the derby against Vasco.

If Flamengo receives a card and advances, Emerson Royal is expected to take the starting position in the first leg of the semifinal against Racing . CONMEBOL has already decided that Flamengo will play the first leg at Maracanã and the second at El Cilindro Stadium in Avellaneda.

JORGINHO BACK AT A DECISIVE MOMENT

Jorginho on Estudiantes vs Flamengo: "We know the importance of the game"

Another highlight of the match is the return of Jorginho , who has recovered from a left thigh injury that sidelined him for the matches against Grêmio, Juventude, Estudiantes and Vasco. The midfielder is once again an option for Filipe Luís to reinforce the midfield .

In an interview with Flamengo TV, the Italian-Brazilian expressed confidence: "We know how important the game is, and I'm personally looking forward to getting back on the field. It's been a long time, I'm not used to this , so the desire to help my teammates and Flamengo is enormous. We have to keep believing, playing our football, regardless of where the game is," he stated.

REUNION IN LA PLATA AFTER 31 YEARS

The match marks Flamengo's return to Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium after 31 years. In 1993, the Rio de Janeiro team was defeated 2-0 and eliminated from the Supercopa Libertadores. Now, they arrive in a more favorable position: they won the first leg at Maracanã , 2-1, and need a draw to advance to the semifinals.

Defensive midfielder Allan seized his opportunity in Flamengo's starting lineup after Erick Pulgar 's injury and has made 13 appearances in the Brasileirão Betano. The midfielder has received praise from the coaching staff and has the support of coach Filipe Luís to remain a key player in the Flamengo squad as they embark on a new contract renewal.

Despite the current situation, Flamengo 's board has no intention of opening renewal negotiations with Allan at this time. According to Fabrício Lopes of the Resenha Rubro-Negra channel, the player's future will only be discussed in mid-2026 , following director José Boto's guidance to prioritize players with contracts close to expiring.

PERMANENCE OF OTHER NAMES

While postponing the definition of Allan's future, Flamengo is focusing its efforts on renewing Arrascaeta, whose contract runs until 2026, with the intention of extending it until 2028. In addition, the club is also trying to guarantee the permanence of its own coach Filipe Luís , who is negotiating a salary increase to renew his contract.

FLAMENGO IN THE LIBERTADORES

The clash between Flamengo x Estudiantes takes place this Thursday (25), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , at the Ciudad de La Plata Stadium. The match will be broadcast by ESPN (pay TV) and Disney+ (streaming) and will not be shown on open TV.

In the first leg, Pedro and Varela scored the winning goals for the red-and-black team in the first half. Despite the result, the club challenged the refereeing, particularly after Gonzalo Plata's red card was sent off . Days later, CONMEBOL overturned the red card and cleared the Ecuadorian for the second leg.

News from England stirred up the Brazilian football scene this Monday (22). According to information from journalist Samuel Luckhurst, from the English newspaper The Sun, Manchester United is not expected to renew Casemiro's contract, which runs until June 2026. With that, the 33-year-old Brazilian midfielder will be able to sign a pre-contract at the beginning of 2025, leaving him free to negotiate with clubs in other countries.

Speculation has reignited debate on social media about a possible interest from Flamengo . The Rio de Janeiro club has been investing heavily in the European market recently, signing players like Jorginho, Samuel Lino, Saúl, Carrascal, and Emerson Royal.

According to reports from the Gazeta do Urubu website, the club's board of directors does not intend to open negotiations for new signings before the end of the current season. The focus at this time is on renewing coach Filipe Luís's contract, which will be prioritized before any moves for reinforcements for 2025 or 2026.

CASEMIRO'S VICTORIOUS HISTORY

Casemiro joined Manchester United in 2022 after a €70 million transfer (approximately R$429 million at the time). For the English club, he has already played 130 matches, scoring 18 goals and providing 11 assists. At Real Madrid, his record is even more impressive: more than 330 appearances and five Champions League titles.

IMPACT ON THE RUBRO-NEGRO SQUAD

At Flamengo, the debate over Casemiro revolves around his fit with Filipe Luís's current squad. Currently, the starting midfield consists of Jorginho, Saúl, and Arrascaeta , but the arrival of an athlete of the Brazilian midfielder's caliber could bring international experience, marking ability, and leadership to the team.