Soccer
19 Mai 2025 | 14:05 |
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Flamengo stumbled at home and missed an important chance to close in on the leader. In a balanced but goalless classic, the Rubro-Negro drew 0-0 with Botafogo on Sunday afternoon (18), at Maracanã, in the 9th round of the Brasileirão Betano. With the result, Filipe Luís' team reached 18 points and now sees Palmeiras open up a four-point lead at the top of the table.
The match was marked by little offensive inspiration, especially on the part of Flamengo, who once again felt the absence of Arrascaeta. The Uruguayan, the team's and the championship's top scorer, was out of the match due to muscle discomfort. Without him, the creative sector was once again a problem.
Even with players like Gerson, Everton Cebolinha and Pedro on the field, Rubro-Negro came up against Botafogo's strong marking, which relied on a line of five defenders and a clear strategy to block the opponent's ball out . The stance of Renato Paiva's team had an effect. Flamengo had more possession, but created few chances. The best chance came from Bruno Henrique, with a shot from outside the area, saved by John. Pedro, isolated, touched the ball few times inside the area and went blank for the second consecutive game.
On the other side, Botafogo also posed some danger with some quick transitions, but were stopped by good saves from Rossi. Despite the balance, the lack of objectivity on both sides prevented the score from breaking even. Internally, the result was not well digested. Executive director José Boto, who has a more reserved profile, decided to demand responsibility from Filipe Luís after the match. The dissatisfaction revolves around the lack of offensive creativity, something that has been recurrent in games against more closed opponents.
This was the second time that Flamengo has finished a Rio derby without scoring a goal in this Brasileirão. The same thing happened against Vasco, also at Maracanã, in the 5th round. On that occasion, the game also ended 0-0. The recent sequence in the championship raises alarm bells. In the last five rounds, the Rubro-Negro have won only twice — against Bahia and Corinthians —, drawn twice and lost once. Their performance has dropped, and the proximity of the direct confrontation against Palmeiras increases the pressure.
Carlo Ancelotti called up the 18-year-old for the national team's training sessions in Teresópolis and the Mengão goalkeeper was praised by the world champion goalkeeper
05 Set 2025 | 19:02 |
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Coach Carlo Ancelotti has selected five athletes from the youth ranks of Rio de Janeiro clubs to participate in the Brazilian national team's training session in Teresópolis. Among those selected is Léo Nanneti, Flamengo's goalkeeper, who shone in the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup victory over Barcelona.
During a press conference, four-time world champion and current goalkeeping coach for the Brazilian national team, Taffarel , made a point of joking and praising the young Flamengo player. " I didn't like him. I didn't like him because in the first training session he asked me to put gloves on him (laughs) ," he said before concluding.
" You know those gloves that are really tight? You can put one on and you can't put the other on. He said, 'Professor, can you put the glove on with me?' I said, 'Get out of here now' (laughs). I'm a coach, I'm not a glove fitter," he said in a relaxed tone.
Tafarel then revealed his admiration for the youngster: " He's a really cool kid. I didn't even realize he was the goalkeeper in that final (of the U-20 World Cup). I was really happy he came here with us; he has great potential. I liked him, especially because he's an 18-year-old kid, but he already has a real professional attitude. I'm sure he'll bring a lot of joy to Flamengo," he concluded.
Léo Nanneti, who came through Flamengo 's youth ranks since the U-9s, is considered one of the club's brightest prospects. A key player in the U-20 World Cup final, the goalkeeper saved two penalty kicks against Barcelona , securing the title for Mengão.
On loan from Mengão until 2026, the 21-year-old midfielder will wear the number 29 shirt for Peixe and the player highlighted the star's message as a decisive factor.
05 Set 2025 | 17:05 |
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Santos officially presented, this Friday (5), midfielder Victor Hugo , 21 years old. The athlete, on loan from Flamengo until mid-2026, will wear the number 29 shirt and was received by idol Clodoaldo during the press conference . The “Cria do Ninho” highlighted that Neymar's message was decisive in his decision to play for the São Paulo club.
"They really had other options. From the moment Neymar sends a message, it makes a difference," the midfielder stated. He also revealed his admiration for the star: " Neymar was the one who made me fall in love with football when I was younger . I've always followed him closely. He's an idol to me. That really had an impact."
The athlete emphasized that his recent stint with Göztepe in Turkey helped improve his defensive performance. However, his desire now is to regain the attacking characteristics that marked his youth development. " In the youth academy, I was always number 10. [...] I have the ability to get forward to score goals. That's something I want to recover, to get forward more, to score more goals, " he projected.
Victor Hugo is considered one of the most promising young players in the Mais Querido youth academy in recent years. Promoted to the main squad in 2022, he participated in the Copa do Brasil and Libertadores victories that year. However, he lost his place under Tite and ended up on loan. Now, at Santos, the youngster hopes to regain prominence and take a new step in his career.
Upon his return, he nearly agreed to a move to Famalicão-POR. The deal fell through, and the player even received a few minutes under Filipe Luís. However, he didn't win over the coaching staff and was underused.
Celeste's number 10 scored a goal in the 3-0 victory over Peru, which secured a spot in the World Cup. Marcelo Bielsa highlighted the midfielder's recovery.
05 Set 2025 | 15:54 |
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Last Thursday (4), Uruguay beat Peru 3-0 at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, securing their place in the next World Cup . Arrascaeta started and scored the second goal of the match, remaining on the field for 69 minutes. With the result, the Celeste Olímpica joins Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Paraguay as representatives of South America. Venezuela and Bolivia are already competing for a place in the play-offs.
After the victory, Marcelo Bielsa praised the midfielder's performance and highlighted the Gávea club's role in the athlete's recovery, as he had faced physical problems in recent years. The coach made a point of thanking the club's professionals for their work.
“ Regarding Arrascaeta, I would like to give special recognition to Flamengo's technical and medical staff, who have made Arrascaeta a different player this season, this year, than the one I initially knew ,” said Bielsa.
Bielsa highlighted the player's development, emphasizing his importance to both the national team and the club. " Today, he's a player like I'd heard before. And only this year have I been able to see him in terms of his trajectory , what people say about him, and what he's done for the national team. He's very valuable, but what he does at Flamengo , playing twice a week, scoring goals, providing assists... He's a player who, in this form, is very good," the coach added.
Enjoying one of the best moments of his career, the Uruguayan has played 42 games for Mengão in 2024, 37 of them as a starter. The midfielder has excelled in goalscoring and consistent performances, solidifying his position as a key player in the team's strategy.
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