Soccer
Gonzalo Plata reveals that he saw Flamengo in the Libertadores and is eager to debut at Maracanã
Ecuadorian was the fourth Rubro-Negro reinforcement in this transfer window
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Flamengo published it on FlaTV the video of Gonzalo Plata's arrival at Ninho do Urubu. The attacker visited Mais Querido's facilities, met new teammates, and had a moment with a former opponent and now commander. Coach Tite, when speaking to the player, asked if the athlete remembered him and Plata said yes because they faced each other in the Copa América and in the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup.
To FlaTV, Gonzalo admitted that he didn't follow the Brasileirão, but said he had watched the Libertadores finals that Mais Querido won in recent years, one of them in Guayaquil, his homeland, he couldn't hide his anxiety about playing in a packed Maracanã.
“I'm really looking forward to playing at Maracanã, with the whole stadium full of Flamengo fans. Much earlier I also watched games. I didn't really follow the Brazilian league, but, of course, I saw the Libertadores final where they played against River. I remember they also played in Ecuador against Athletico-PR. Flamengo fills stadiums everywhere, so this fills me with anticipation to arrive at Maracanã and see the entire stadium in red, with people from Flamengo. I think it will be a very special day for me”, said Mengo's new 45 shirt.
The debut could take place exactly in the former Big One in the World, Flamengo hopes to be able to register the striker with the CBF BID this Monday ( 2), which would allow Rubro-Negro to register the player for the second leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil against Bahia, which will be at Maracanã. Gonzalo Plata hopes to be able to repay the affection he has felt from the Nation.
“Long before arriving here in Brazil, people were already sending me a lot of messages, so I am very happy. When I already knew I was coming here, when they sent me my plane ticket, with that I said: "I've arrived"! Now that I'm here, yesterday they announced it to me, all the messages of support I received, I'm very happy about it. Now I just have to wait for my teammates, their welcome, which will be very important for me to adapt better”, declared the Ecuadorian.
Flamengo will be the fifth club of the player's career. Formed by Independiente Del Valle, from Ecuador, the striker had spells at Sporting (POR), Real Valladolid (ESP) and Al Sadd (CAT), however, Plata guaranteed that none of the teams he played for have a structure as good as that of the Rubro-Negro.
“I've been to many teams, but I think this is the best I've ever seen. So I think I'm going to like it a lot, there are a lot of things to recover and do here”, he concluded.
Soccer
Filipe Luis says it will be "difficult" against Deportivo Táchira in Flamengo's debut in the Libertadores
Mengão faces blockade against a closed defensive line, but secures victory with a solitary goal in the debut of the continental tournament
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Flamengo debuted in the group stage of the Libertadores with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Deportivo Táchira in Venezuela. The game, played this Wednesday (3), was marked by the difficulty of the Rubro-Negro in breaking through the opponent's defense. Coach Filipe Luís analyzed the challenges faced by the team and highlighted the importance of the positive result.
DIFFICULTIES IN OFFENSIVE CONSTRUCTION
Filipe Luís acknowledged the team's slowness in passing and moving without the ball, which prevented them from opening up spaces in the opposing defense. "Our team was a little slow in circulating the ball and, as we couldn't move quickly, the spaces simply didn't appear," explained the coach after the victory.
"It was a very difficult game..." - said Filipe Luis
In addition to the tactical difficulties imposed by Deportivo Táchira, Mengão also suffered from a lack of precision in the final pass and in finishing. "When spaces appeared, we made mistakes in control, passes and finishing. This allowed the opponent to have more possession of the ball and forced us to chase", added Filipe Luís.
ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES DURING THE MATCH
Over time, the coach made tactical adjustments to give the team more fluidity . The changes paid off, and CRF began to feel more comfortable on the field, controlling possession better and creating more consistent opportunities. The persistence was rewarded with a solitary goal, which guaranteed victory in the Libertadores debut. Despite the performance below expectations, the positive result brought confidence to the team and reinforced the importance of winning even on uninspired nights.
After the final whistle, Filipe Luís emphasized that , regardless of the performance, the most important thing is to come away with the three points. "If I can choose between playing well and winning, I will always choose to win. Of course, I prefer to win by playing well, but winning is what gives the team confidence," said the coach. He also emphasized the importance of the match for some players who needed to regain rhythm and confidence. "It was a very good game for athletes who were coming back from injuries or who had not played in a long season. In football, there are no easy games," he added.
Soccer
Filipe Luis demands the press at a press conference after misinterpreting his speech in Flamengo's victory - check it out
After Rubro-Negro's victory over Deportivo Táchira in the Libertadores, his speech about the opponent was interpreted incorrectly
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During the post-match press conference against Internacional, Filipe Luís stated that he knew nothing about Deportivo Táchira . However, the coach explained that the reason for this was simple: he had not yet studied the opponent, as his focus was completely on the previous game. The study of the next opponent would only begin the following day . The Venezuelan press, however, did not forgive the statement and questioned Filipe Luís about the alleged disdain for the local team. The coach of Mais Querido, surprised by the repercussion, assured that his words were misinterpreted.
"They took it out of context, for sure," said Filipe Luis
WORK METHODOLOGY
When responding to the controversy, Filipe Luís reinforced that this is the way he has always worked. He highlighted that, before each match, his attention is completely focused on the immediate match, and that the analysis of the next opponent only occurs after the previous game has concluded. "They took it out of context, for sure. I didn't even know it had been controversial. That's always how I've worked. I don't know anything about the next opponent until I start studying them . It doesn't matter if it's Táchira, Vitória or Central Córdoba. First I focus on the current game, then I change focus," explained the coach.
FILIPE LUÍS APOLOGIZES, BUT DEFENDS HIS POSITION
The CRF commander also made a point of apologizing if anyone felt offended by his words. He, however, reinforced that there was no intention of disparaging Deportivo Táchira and recalled that he had warned his players about the difficulty of the match. "I'm sure that the Deportivo Táchira coach works the same way I do. When this game is over, he'll already be studying the next opponent. I warned my players that it would be a complicated, difficult match, and that's exactly how it was. If anyone was offended, I apologize, but that wasn't my intention," said Filipe Luís.
Despite the repercussions in the Venezuelan media, Edgar Pérez Greco, coach of Deportivo Táchira , did not see any problem with Filipe Luís's statement. When asked about the subject, he avoided controversy and showed understanding of the Brazilian coach's speech. "I saw the video and understood what he meant. We also had a game before facing Flamengo. In other words, the next opponent only starts to be studied after the round is over," said the Venezuelan coach.
With the controversy cleared up, Filipe Luís continues his work routine and is already focusing on Mengão's next challenges this season. The coach will maintain his methodology of studying opponents game by game, seeking to prepare the team in the best possible way. In the next match, Flamengo will face Vitória in the Brazilian Championship, and Filipe Luís is already starting to delve deeper into the analysis of the Bahian team , leaving the Libertadores momentarily in the background.
Soccer
Juninho is named best on the pitch by Conmebol after deciding to make his debut for Flamengo
Striker comes off the bench, scores the winning goal against Táchira and receives the best player of the match award from the South American entity against Táchira
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Striker Juninho had a special night this Thursday (3). After coming on in the second half and scoring Flamengo's winning goal against Deportivo Táchira, the player was named best on the field by Conmebol, crowning his decisive performance in the red-black team's debut in the 2025 Libertadores.
we are already very confident..."
“It’s always good to win away from home, especially in a competition like the Libertadores. I’m very happy with the goal, but even happier with the victory and the three points. This certainly strengthens and gives confidence to the group, even though we were already very confident,” said Juninho after receiving the award for best player of the match.
JUNINHO CAME IN AND CHANGED THE GAME
The striker started on the bench, but came on in the second half with determination. In the 12th minute, he took advantage of a pass from Bruno Henrique and, with his chest, sent the ball into the back of the net. The play guaranteed Flamengo 's 1-0 away win and put the team in the lead of the group.
Conmebol, through its official networks, announced Juninho as the “Man of the Match”, praising his dedication, movement and decisive goal. His solid performance, even in just a few minutes, was crucial against an opponent who, despite their limitations, made it difficult for the red-and-blacks to create chances in the first half.
STRIKER REINFORCES FOCUS ON THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
“Right now, I think my team is only thinking about the Brasileirão. And the next Libertadores game is only next week. We are going to try to study our next opponent,” added Juninho, Flamengo ’s forward.
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