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.
After tests confirmed the consolidation of a fracture in his right foot, the Chilean is released for field work and begins the final phase of recovery with a view to returning
13 Set 2025 | 08:35 |
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Midfielder Erick Pulgar took an important step towards returning to play for Flamengo . Tests carried out this Friday (12) showed the consolidation of the fracture in the fifth metatarsal of the right foot , allowing the player to be released to begin activities on the pitch.
With medical clearance, Pulgar now begins the transition to field work . The Chilean will continue physical therapy to resume running, progress to ball-handling activities, and then enter the physical conditioning phase, the final phase before returning to official matches.
The midfielder hasn't played since the Club World Cup in June. After surgery on July 3, Pulgar spent some time in Chile and then returned to Ninho do Urubu to continue his treatment. Until then, he had been working out in the training center's indoor area.
The injury occurred during the Club World Cup Round of 16 match against Bayern Munich. The midfielder had already suffered the same type of fracture in his first months at the club, when it took him about 60 days to return to the squad.
Although coach Filipe Luís stated that he was counting on the Chilean for the Libertadores quarterfinals, it is unlikely that he will be on the field for the matches against Estudiantes , scheduled for September 18 and 25. Pulgar is expected to be available later in the season, reinforcing Flamengo's role in the ongoing competitions.
With sold-out sections, Mais Querido fans promise to fill Maracanã in the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals against the Argentine team
13 Set 2025 | 08:12 |
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Flamengo fans once again demonstrate their strength and should transform the Maracanã into a cauldron. According to journalist Venê Casagrande, 57,402 tickets have already been sold for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals against Estudiantes , scheduled for next Thursday (18).
High demand quickly sold out the North, East, Lower West, and Maracanã Mais sectors. Currently, only tickets remain for the South sector, priced at R$200 (full price) and R$100 (half price). The club's management expects all 60,000 tickets on sale to be sold out this Thursday.
Adding up free tickets, courtesies, VIP boxes, and reserved seats, the projected attendance for the match is high. The estimate is that more than 67,000 fans will cheer the team on in their quest for a spot in the semifinals of the continental competition.
Before the decisive duel for the Libertadores, Flamengo has an important commitment in the Brasileirão. On Sunday (14), at 4 pm (Brasília time), the team faces Juventude at the Alfredo Jacon i Stadium , for the 23rd round of the championship.
Rubro-Negro leads the table with 47 points, while the team from Rio Grande do Sul is in 18th place with 21 points. The return match against Estudiantes, which will determine who qualifies for the semifinals , will take place on September 25th at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium (UNO) in La Plata, Argentina.
The coach was approached by the Turkish club, but chose to continue working for Mais Querido; the red-black board is trying to extend the contract until 2026.
13 Set 2025 | 07:59 |
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Coach Filipe Luís turned down an offer from Fenerbahçe of Turkey to remain with the club he leads at Flamengo. According to a report by the UOL portal, the European club approached Flamengo's board and expressed formal interest in the coach . Despite admitting his desire to one day work in European football, Filipe Luís preferred not to open negotiations , understanding that his career in Brazil is still ongoing.
Fenerbahçe even signaled financial compensation to the Rio de Janeiro club , but as neither the coach nor the board were willing to end the current project, the talks did not progress.
The club's management has already submitted a contract renewal proposal to Filipe Luís , valid until the end of 2026 and renewable for another year, including a salary increase. The coach, who signed in 2024 with a salary lower than that of the country's elite coaches , has not yet pushed for a raise and has promised to submit a counterproposal.
Filipe Luís has always publicly stated his ambition to coach European clubs. However, he understands that he is undergoing a process of professional development and that remaining in Brazil helps in this development. Internally, this vision is seen as a positive factor in maintaining his position at least until next season.
In addition to Fenerbahçe, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen has also recently expressed interest in Filipe Luís. Even so, the board believes the coach won't leave Mengão at this time to pursue a project abroad, and is confident he'll stay until the end of his current term at Flamengo .
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