HISTORIC! FLAMENGO'S DEFENSE BREAKS RECORD FROM THE "ZICO ERA" AND REACHES THE 11TH GAME WITHOUT CONCERNING GOALS

Flamengo returns to the field this Wednesday (06), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Atlético-MG, at Arena MRV, in a decisive clash for the round of 16 of the Copa Betano do Brasil . With an eye on the sixth title of the competition, Rubro-Negro sees the duel as a key moment for the season.

Beyond its sporting significance, the match could mark a symbolic milestone for Filipe Luís. Since taking over the team in October 2024, the former full-back has been a key player in an attacking and effective Flamengo team. According to Sofascore data, under his leadership, the team has scored 98 goals in 58 matches , an average of 1.69 goals per match. Now, the club is just two goals away from reaching the 100-goal mark under the current coach.

ARRASCAETA NECESSARY

Uruguayan Giorgian De Arrascaeta is the leading scorer of the "Filipinho Era," with 16 goals, and is a pillar of the team in the finals. Luiz Araújo and Bruno Henrique have also been excelling and are among the top scorers of the period, bolstering the red-and-black's attacking prowess.

With a skilled squad, solid performance, and a thriving attack, Flamengo arrives confidently to face Galo and fight for a spot in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals. Mengão needs to win by two goals to qualify without resorting to penalty kicks, which would guarantee the coach his centennial milestone.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ATLÉTICO-MG: Everson; Saravia, Lyanco, Junior Alonso and Arana (Scarpa); Alexsander, Alan Franco, Scarpa (Igor Gomes); Ron, Hulk and Cuello. Coach: Cuca

FLAMENGO: Rossi; Emerson Royal, Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Allan, Jorginho, Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo, Samuel Lino and Pedro. Coach: Filipe Luis

Defender Léo Ortiz has once again been linked in Europe, this time as a potential target for Sporting Clube de Portugal . According to Portuguese broadcaster SIC Notícias, the club is considering submitting a proposal in the region of €15 million, plus bonuses, to try to convince Flamengo to release the defender.

However, sources at the Rio de Janeiro club consulted by this report state that Flamengo has no interest in negotiating Léo Ortiz at this time, and that the player himself also has no desire to leave the club. Flamengo's board considers the defender an important player in the squad and intends to keep him for the remainder of the season.

SPORTING DOESN'T WANT LÉO ORTIZ IMMEDIATELY

When contacted by Sporting insiders, the response was straightforward: "Unlikely. The Portuguese club would have to sell one of the defenders. I don't think they'll buy any more ." This indicates that, although there is speculation surrounding Ortiz's name, there are no concrete negotiations at this time.

According to our findings, no official offer has yet reached Flamengo, reinforcing that, at least for now, the defender remains 100% focused on the Rubro-Negro. In fact, the Mais Querido is considering entering the market for a defender.

GERMAN TEAM PROPOSAL

Flamengo recently received an official offer from RB Leipzig of Germany for defender Léo Ortiz two weeks ago. The offer was around €15 million (approximately R$95.6 million), with €12 million fixed and €3 million tied to targets. However, Flamengo promptly rejected the offer.

Flamengo returns to the field this Wednesday (06) to face Atlético-MG, in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The match will be played at Arena MRV, at 7 pm (Brasília time), and will be refereed by Gaucho Rafael Klein , according to the schedule defined by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

The organization also confirmed the entire refereeing team for the decisive match. The assistant referees will be Bruno Raphael Pires (GO) and Rafael da Silva Alves (RS) . The video referee will be Wagner Reway (SC). This will be Flamengo 's second match with Rafael Klein in charge.

FULL ARBITRATION SCALE

• Main referee: Rafael Rodrigues Klein (RS)
• Assistant 1: Bruno Raphael Pires (GO)
• Assistant 2: Rafael da Silva Alves (RS)
• Fourth referee: José Mendonça da Silva Junior (PR)
• VAR: Wagner Reway (SC)

RAFAEL KLEIN'S EXPERIENCE WITH FLAMENGO IN 2025

So far, Rafael Klein has refereed only one Flamengo match this season: the 2-1 victory over Vitória in early April in the Brasileirão . In the Copa do Brasil, he was on the field last week for the goalless draw between CSA and Vasco in the first leg of the third round.

HOW WAS THE FIRST GAME?

In the first match between Flamengo and Atlético-MG, played at Maracanã, the Red-Blacks had the majority of possession but failed to find the net. The Minas Gerais team capitalized on a mistake by Léo Pereira when clearing the ball and scored through Cuello , securing a 1-0 lead.

NEXT CONFRONTATION

With the defeat in the first leg, Flamengo needs to beat Atlético-MG by two or more goals to guarantee direct qualification. If they win by one goal, the decision will be on penalties . This Wednesday's duel (06) starts at 7 pm, at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte.