FLAMENGO HAS THE MONTH OF AUGUST WITH DECISIVE GAMES AHEAD

Vinicius Jr. continues to demonstrate his great football on the lawns of Europe. This Tuesday (24), Real Madrid's Shirt 7 was one of the highlights of the 3-2 victory over Alavés, in the 7th round of La Liga. The star, trained at Flamengo, provided the assist for the first goal of the match.

In the first minute of the game, Vini Jr. received a ball on the left wing, dominated and went on to score. The attacker took it to the baseline, passed the marker and played for Lucas Vázquez to open the scoring. With the assist, Vini reached the mark of nine goal contributions in nine matches played this season. He scored three goals (two from penalties), provided four assists and suffered two fouls inside the box, which were converted into penalty goals.

Mbappé and Rodrygo scored the other goals for the Merengue team. The 3-0 led to a quiet victory for the home team, but Alavés, in two minutes, scored twice and added excitement to the game, but the match ended in Madrid's victory.

Jornal Spanish claims that Vini Jr. already knows he will be Ballon d'Or

Vinicius Júnior's expectation of winning the Ballon d'Or seems to be about to come true. After a spectacular season for Real Madrid, the Brazilian star is increasingly closer to being voted the best player in the world, according to the newspaper Marca.

The striker, revealed by Flamengo, is about to make history. Vini Jr. has already been informed that he will be the big winner of the 2023/24 Ballon d'Or. Thus, Garoto do Ninho will break a 17-year fast without Brazilians at the top of the podium since Kaká, in 2007.

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Two of the CRF's most experienced players are in the final stages of their contracts, with their future still uncertain. Gabigol, the club's idol, and defender David Luiz have contracts valid until December 31, 2024. The uncertainty about whether they will stay raises discussions behind the scenes, especially with the presidential elections approaching.

DAVID LUIZ AND THE POSSIBLE RENEWAL

The situation of defender David Luiz is delicate. Although his name is well evaluated within the current management, led by Rodolfo Landim, who supports Rodrigo Dunshee, the defender's continuity in the squad is not seen with the same enthusiasm by other wings of the club.

David Luiz had his contract was automatically renewed in January this year, after fulfilling the clause of playing in at least 20 matches, with 45 minutes on the field in each one. As a result, his contract was extended until the end of 2024. If Dunshee wins the elections, it is likely that Mengão will propose a renewal for another year.

The agreement, however, must be signed without an increase salary and without the payment of gloves. David Luiz has already expressed interest in remaining at the club, but the final decision should only take place after the presidential election.

GABIGOL'S FUTURE ALSO UNCERTAINGabigol, one of the main names of the CRF in recent years, also has a contract until December. So far, there is no official information about negotiations for its renewal, which keeps fans apprehensive.

ELECTIONS WILL BE DECISIVE

The Mais Querido elections, scheduled for December, will be fundamental in defining the future of the two athletes. Depending on who takes charge, priorities and decisions about hiring and renewals may change.

The Flamengofaced one of the most delicate moments of its season after the 3-2 defeat to Grêmio, in a match valid for the 27th round of the Brazilian Championship. Last Sunday (22), the Rio team opted for a team made up mostly of young people from the base, saving 13 main players who stayed in Rio de Janeiro. This choice was aimed at preparing for the decisive Libertadores game against Peñarol, which will take place this Thursday (26). However, the strategy was not well received by the press and generated criticism, highlighting the analysis by journalist Pedro Ivo.

The decision to spare important players against Grêmio was widely debated, mainly due to the direct impact that this defeat could have on the rest of the season. Pedro Ivo, during his appearance on ESPN's Linha de Passe program, stated that Flamengo, by making this decision and announcing it publicly on Friday (20), had already committed itself negatively to the result.

A BITTER DEFEAT IN THE SEASON

According to the journalist, the fact of announcing that 13 players would not travel to Porto Alegre set the tone of an "institutional defeat" before even if the ball rolls. Flamengo, by giving up a significant part of its main squad to focus on the Libertadores, would have assumed the risk of suffering from the defeat in the Brasileirão, which in fact occurred.

This stance, according to Pedro Ivo, it's uncommon in Flamengo, which traditionally does not announce in advance who will be left out of matches. The early announcement generated a feeling that the defeat on Sunday was, in a way, already expected, devaluing the confrontation and bringing consequences that could affect the atmosphere at the club for the remainder of the season.