Soccer
28 Mai 2025 | 17:45 |
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Flamengo takes to the field this Wednesday (28), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, with a clear mission: to beat Deportivo Táchira and seal its qualification for the round of 16 of the Libertadores. The team led by Filipe Luís does not want to depend on anyone and seeks to finish the group stage in the lead, if Central Córdoba stumbles at the altitude of Quito against LDU.
The scenario is favorable. With an 81.1% chance of advancing to the round of 16 , according to projections from the Mathematics Department at UFMG, the Rubro-Negro team needs to do what is expected of it against the bottom of the group — Táchira arrives in Rio without scoring any points in the competition and already eliminated. In addition to qualifying, Fla is also aiming for first place in Group C. To do so, it needs to do its part and hope for a similar result. A simple victory could be enough, depending on the goal difference, to overtake Central Córdoba, which is leading by a narrow margin.
Even without the same consistency as previous seasons, the Rio de Janeiro team arrives at the final round buoyed by the strength of the squad and the support of the fans . The Maracanã factor weighs heavily — and the expectation is a full house to push the group into yet another decisive moment. The confidence in the red-and-black performance is not without reason. According to UFMG's Crystal Ball, the Brazilian team has a 60.1% chance of beating the Venezuelans. A draw appears at 21.4%, and an unlikely victory for Táchira appears at only 18.5%.
In the last round, Fla drew away from home against LDU and remained in the fight for qualification. Now, playing in front of its fans, the expectation is to impose itself from the first minutes. For the duel, Filipe Luís will have full strength, barring any last-minute absences. The idea of the coaching staff is to maintain the structure of the starting team, respect the opponent, but also impose intensity from the beginning to resolve the match as quickly as possible.
If the spot is confirmed, it will be another important step for a squad that has recently undergone a restructuring and is trying to show progress under the new coach. The Libertadores is considered a priority in the season's calendar. Behind the scenes, the club has been monitoring potential opponents for the knockout stages and understands that securing the lead could make a difference in the draw. However, the focus is on Wednesday's game.
Mengão drew 0-0 against Cruzeiro at Maracanã and fans complained about the club's lack of desire, but the defender refuted the claim.
03 Out 2025 | 09:06 |
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After the 0-0 draw between Flamengo and Cruzeiro , this Thursday (2), at Maracanã, Léo Ortiz denied that the result was related to the team's drop in intensity. The defender highlighted that, in his view, Rubro-Negro was better precisely in the second half .
Léo Ortiz on Flamengo's intensity: "It doesn't have much to do with intensity. There was no shortage of that"
"Sorry, I disagree. I think we had more possession in the second half . Maybe at some point in the middle they had a little more control, and it became a very exchangeable game," the defender declared.
"The first half was also similar. I don't think it had much to do with intensity . There was no shortage of that. We pressed from the first minute to the last," concluded Léo Ortiz , in the mixed zone after the match against Cruzeiro.
Flamengo and Cruzeiro played a high-level duel, marked by intensity but lacking in scoring . Cruzeiro had two good chances to seal the victory, but couldn't find the net.
With the draw, Flamengo reached 55 points and maintained the lead in the Brasileirão, three ahead of Palmeiras (52) and four above Cruzeiro (51), after 26 rounds . The Mais Querido has one game less in the competition, while the alviverde has two games left.
Mengão returns to the field on Sunday against Bahia in the Brasileirão and the squad will return on Friday, followed by the duel with Raposa
03 Out 2025 | 08:51 |
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Flamengo drew 0-0 with Cruzeiro last Thursday (2), in the 26th round of the Brasileirão. With no time to rest, the red-black squad returned this Friday (3) afternoon , at Ninho do Urubu, to begin preparations for the duel against Bahia. Training begins at 3:30 pm (Brasília time), under the command of Filipe Luís.
In a head-to-head clash at the top of the table, Flamengo and Cruzeiro played a tight match at the Maracanã. In the first half, the Minas Gerais team closed well, preventing any major scoring chances , and threatened the red-and-black team, which was saved by Rossi and Alex Sandro.
In the second half, after Filipe Luís's changes, Cruzeiro managed to create more opportunities, but failed to break down the opposing defense , with only two significant chances. Cruzeiro also barely threatened goalkeeper Rossi.
Flamengo returns to the field on Sunday (5), at 6:30 pm, against Bahia, at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador. The match is valid for the 27th round of the Brasileirão. The broadcast of the confrontation is on Premiere (pay-per-view) for all of Brazil .
Even with the draw, Flamengo remains top of the league with 55 points. Palmeiras is second with 52, but has played one game less than Flamengo , while Cruzeiro is third with 51.
Midfielder says that Mengão managed to create opportunities against Cruzeiro, but lacked calm and composure to define the confrontation at Maracanã
03 Out 2025 | 07:58 |
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Flamengo and Cruzeiro drew 0-0 this Thursday (2), at Maracanã, in the 26th round of the Brasileirão. Rubro-Negro had more possession and created opportunities, but failed to finish the plays. After the match, Jorginho highlighted the need for the team to better define the plays to avoid dangerous counterattacks from the opponent.
Jorginho on Flamengo vs. Cruzeiro: "We lacked a goal. We created chances, but didn't finish them off"
"I don't think it's a physical issue, because the team maintained intensity throughout the match. It's more about decision-making. When we break through the first line of pressure and space opens up, we need to define the play —with a shot or a cross. What we can't do is lose the ball at this point and allow another transition, because the team is exposed. That's where we can improve," analyzed the midfielder.
With 62% possession, 15 shots to their rivals' 11, and even an extra player in the final minutes after William's red card , Flamengo couldn't convert their dominance into goals. For Jorginho, this was the decisive detail:
"We were missing a goal. We created chances, but we didn't finish them. It was a good game tactically, but we could have made better decisions on some counterattacks . We deserved to win, in my opinion, but now it's time to look forward," said the number 21.
Flamengo returns to the field on Sunday (5), for the 27th round of the Brasileirão. The opponent will be Bahia, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador . Even with the draw at Maracanã, Flamengo remains leader of the Brasileirão with 55 points, three more than Palmeiras, second place in the championship.
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