Flamengo idol invites Neymar to defend Rubro-Negro: "He's an incredible kid"

Flamengo secured an important 3-1 victory over Internacional this Sunday (17), in the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship. The night was also special for Giorgian De Arrascaeta, who reached the 100 assists mark with the Manto Sagrado.

"Happy, happy. I always try to contribute as much as I can on the field to the club , to keep it up there. It's a very impressive number, a big one. I didn't know it, but I'm so happy. We came here, we did our job, which was to get the three points, the most important thing is to stay up there," Arrascaeta told Flamengo TV .

URUGUAYAN IS A HIGHLIGHT

The number 10 shone throughout the match. In the 12th minute of the first half, De Arrascaeta provided a pass for Pedro to open the scoring. In the second half, the Uruguayan left Plata in excellent position to extend the lead, demonstrating his ability to create plays and directly influence Mengão's result.

"Now, a little more on Wednesday, to get fit, to be 100%. It's a completely different competition, but reinforcing what we've been doing this year, in terms of style of play. Happy about that. First, getting the result . And, as I said, now it's time to leave everything on Wednesday," concluded the number 10.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Flamengo will face Internacional again on Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores. With Matías Viña available, the team seeks to maintain its offensive performance and guarantee qualification for the next phase of the continental tournament.

After recovering from an injury to his right thigh, Danilo returned to the field in Flamengo's 3-1 victory over Internacional, this Sunday (17), for the Brazilian Championship. The defender came on in the second half and, even with the Mais Querido's triumph , he recognized a mistake in the play that resulted in the opponent's goal.

"Today, first of all, it's largely my responsibility, especially due to my lack of responsiveness there. So, certainly, I should have and must have done better on that play. But it's a very high-quality defense, they're Brazilian national team-level players , and each one plays their own game," Danilo stated in an interview.

DEFENDER HIGHLIGHTS TEAM

Despite the individual error, the defender highlighted the team's collective performance, emphasizing the importance of the forwards and midfielders' pressure throughout most of the match. According to him, collective effort facilitates marking and strengthens defensive consistency.

" We also have to highlight the work of the rest of the team , because the forwards and midfielders apply relentless pressure throughout almost the entire match. This makes our job much easier, too , which is basically stopping plays when the ball isn't as clear, because our forwards, I think, and midfielders press hard and give a lot of themselves in this area. So, the credit goes to the whole team," Danilo concluded.

DURATION OF ABSENCE

The defender had not played since July 21, when he injured his right hamstring. Having recovered, Danilo came on in the 22nd minute of the second half, replacing Léo Ortiz . In the 47th minute, Bernabei crossed into the box, and Danilo, in his marking, was unable to prevent Borré from shooting , who scored Internacional's goal.

In the 3-1 victory over Internacional, Filipe Luís chose not to include Matías Viña among the squad. The Uruguayan full-back was left out of the match played on Sunday (17), at Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre. After the match, the coach explained the choice and commented on the competition for the position.

" Competition. Alex Sandro is doing very well, he's a starter for the national team. Ayrton Lucas was our best player at the Club World Cup. Honestly, leaving one of them out is difficult. All three are doing well. When you have so many players, the coach's heart breaks. Ayrton Lucas had a great performance. It's great to see the competition for the starting spot," Filipe Luís declared in a press conference.

Ayrton Lucas was named the starting left-back and remained on the field for the entire 90 minutes. The number 6 actively participated in the attacking plays, including the start of the move that resulted in Plata's goal, the Mais Querido's third of the match. Alex Sandro, also an option for the position, was on the bench.

MATÍAS VIÑA CONTINUES TO BE IMPORTANT

Viña has been receiving opportunities since recovering from a serious injury. The Uruguayan caught the attention of fans with his physical strength and strong performances throughout the season , establishing himself as an important player for Mengão's left back.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT CHALLENGE

Flamengo will face Internacional again on Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores. With Matías Viña available, the team seeks to maintain its offensive performance and guarantee qualification for the next phase of the continental tournament.