INCREDIBLE! FABRÍCIO BRUNO CLOSES THE SEASON AS THE MOST USED PLAYER BY FLAMENGO

Having qualified for the Copa Libertadores semifinals, Flamengo will face Racing (ARG), who returned to this stage of the tournament after 28 years . The president of the Argentine club, Diego Milito, highlighted the importance of this historic moment and previewed the duel against Rubro-Negro.

Diego Milito, president of Racing: "It will be a very difficult series against Flamengo"

"This is a very special, positive, and beautiful week; it's a luxury and an honor to be among the four best on the continent. We haven't reached a semifinal in 28 years, and that needs to be deeply appreciated . Our expectations for the Libertadores Cup are intact, and we hope to put together a great run against Flamengo to reach the final," said Milito.

The manager highlighted Racing's performance in the competition, but made a point of acknowledging the opponent's strength: "We're having a great Libertadores. We've already achieved our goal of reaching the semifinals and are in a position to go after more. It will be a very tough series against Flamengo. They're a rival with enormous potential, both football-wise and financially ," he added.

WHAT WILL THE CONFRONTATION BE LIKE?

Flamengo will play the first leg of the semifinal on October 22nd at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) at Maracanã Stadium . The second leg will be played the following week in Avellaneda, at El Cilindro Stadium, which will decide who advances to the final of the competition.

WHEN WILL FLAMENGO RETURN TO THE FIELD?

Before the Libertadores, Rubro-Negro turns its attention to the Brazilian Championship . The next commitment will be against Corinthians , this Sunday (28), at 8:30 pm (Brasília time), at Neo Química Arena, for the 25th round.

Flamengo, through a preliminary injunction in Rio de Janeiro, managed to block R$77 million in the broadcast rights contract between Libra and TV Globo. The measure generated strong dissatisfaction among other clubs in the bloc, especially Palmeiras, which released an official statement harshly criticizing the club's stance .

OFFICIAL NOTE FROM PALMEIRAS

In a statement, the São Paulo club called the action "predatory and vile," accusing Flamengo of attempting to "financially suffocate" the other Libra members. The statement also recalled previous incidents, such as the club's current management's refusal to sign a manifesto against racism promoted by the organization earlier this year.

According to Palmeiras , although it could benefit financially from changes in revenue sharing, the club advocates for the search for collective and sustainable solutions for Brazilian football and hopes that the courts will recognize Flamengo's intentions in filing the injunction.

CASE CONTEXT

Flamengo's board believes that the current distribution model is unfair, as it does not proportionally consider the weight of the red-black fans , who, according to the club, are responsible for the majority of television audiences in the country.

With this measure, Flamengo managed to block R$77 million relating to the Libra TV contract — an amount that involves all participating clubs: São Paulo, Palmeiras, Santos, Bahia, Grêmio, Vitória, Atlético-MG and Red Bull Bragantino .

LIBRA POSITION

Libra also officially issued a statement condemning the decision, stating that the action " erodes the group's harmony by questioning already agreed upon agreements ." The organization emphasized that the division model was approved at a meeting with consensus among members.

FLAMENGO'S RESPONSE

In a statement, Flamengo defended its position, stating that:

• He always sought amicable solutions and accepted concessions;
• The current division, which guarantees only 20.41% of audience revenue, is illegal, since the red-black fans represent 47% of Libra's total fans;
• The current model generates an estimated loss of R$100 million per year , representing 37% less compared to the previous contract;
• The legal action aims to correct distortions, and not to suffocate the other clubs, highlighting that only 30% of the audience share is blocked , while the other 70% continues to be passed on normally.

The club concluded by reinforcing that its fight is for compliance with the Libra Statute, for the valorization of the representation of each institution and for fairer and more balanced criteria in the division of broadcast revenues.

Maracanã management began a process of decompression of the pitch this week, at Flamengo's request. The process aims to prepare the field for the intense series of matches in this final stretch of the season.

The decompression makes the turf softer and more even, improving the quality of play and ball circulation. This measure was a direct request from the club and was promptly met by the stadium . With the CBF's calendar change, Maracanã will host more games in shorter periods of time.

PREVIOUS CRITICISMS OF GRAMADO

Flamengo's Filipe Luís on the Maracanã pitch: "It's an eternal fight"

Earlier this year, the Maracanã pitch was criticized for being considered "hard." Coach Filipe Luís , in an interview after the Fla-Flu Carioca match, even called for investments to solve the problem , a long-standing complaint among clubs:

"The pitch? It's an eternal battle, but we have to think about the players, make an effort, and if it costs more, we have to make the investment . If we have to change the pitch, we have to make a big investment," the coach said at the time.

STADIUM MODERNIZATION

In early September, during the Flamengo vs. Grêmio Brasileirão match, the stadium debuted a new synthetic turf pitch installed behind the goals . The area is used for players to warm up before matches, or for substitutes to be used by coaches.

According to an official statement from Maracanã, the modernization offers more safety and quality , as the lawn has advanced technology and the FIFA QualityPro seal, guaranteeing better conditions for athletes during pre-game.