Peñarol player says that even with Messi at Flamengo, they would advance to the Libertadores semi-finals

Flamengo's criticism of the refereeing performance in the duel against Estudiantes continues to resonate. This Friday (19), after Plata was released for the return game by Conmebol , football director José Boto returned to comment on the mistakes made by Andrés Rojas at Maracanã and expressed concern about the match in Argentina , valid for the quarterfinals of the Libertadores.

José Boto on the return between Flamengo and Estudiantes: "I'm apprehensive about what they might do away from home"

"It was unfair to Plata and to us as well. Honestly, I'm very worried about the return leg . Because if a referee can do that in our home stadium, in an almost arrogant manner, I'm worried about what they might do away from home, in Argentina," he said in an interview with SporTV.

WHAT HAPPENED AT MARACANÃ?

The referee failed to award a penalty to Samuel Lino in the first half and issued a series of yellow cards to the Flamengo team. However, the most controversial incident occurred in the second half, when Plata was fouled inside the box and was sent off. Instead of awarding the penalty, Rojas showed the Ecuadorian a second yellow card, sparking outrage among Flamengo players and management.

MANAGER WAS REMOVED BY THE POLICE

Boto also said he tried to speak directly with Andrés Rojas after the final whistle, questioning Plata's sending-off and the different standards throughout the match. However, according to him, the referee's response was to ask the police to remove him: " I politely asked about the standards, and he arrogantly requested police protection . There was a series of behaviors that did not seem normal to us," the official stated.

CONTROVERSIAL MOVES

Among the most controversial incidents for Flamengo was Facundo Farías's harsh foul on Arrascaeta, which could have resulted in the Argentine full-back's expulsion . The director highlighted that, at that moment, the fourth official advised coach Eduardo Domínguez to substitute the player to avoid a red card.

"It's not normal. There was a brutal challenge on Arrascaeta, which should have resulted in a second yellow card and a red card. And then the fourth official instructed the opposing coach to substitute the player . This behavior seemed very strange to us," Boto added.

With his full focus on Flamengo, coach Filipe Luís turned down a multi-million dollar offer from Fenerbahçe of Turkey. Meanwhile, the Flamengo board is working to renew the coach's contract. The interest is mutual and reinforces the former full-back's desire to remain at the helm .

JORGE MENDES IN THE PLAY

During the last FIFA World Cup, sporting director José Boto traveled to Portugal to discuss the matter . In Lisbon, he met with businessman Jorge Mendes, Filipe Luís 's agent and Cristiano Ronaldo's former agent. Negotiating the contract extension was a priority behind the scenes.

The contract is expected to be extended initially until December 2027, with the possibility of an extension until the end of 2028. This month, Filipe Luís will complete one year at Flamengo 's helm. A sore point in the negotiations involves the termination fee . Currently, the amount is equivalent to only three months' salary, a figure considered low given the foreign pressure. The coach's salary has not been officially revealed, but it is approximately what he received at the beginning of his time at Flamengo's youth academy.

CONVERSATIONS SHOULD CONTINUE IN OCTOBER

The next round of talks is scheduled for October, again during the Brazilian national team's break. The Turkish proposal served as a warning to the football department , as Fenerbahçe signaled a fee up to ten times higher than the coach's current salary.

It's worth remembering that Filipe Luís took over after the departure of Tite, whose coaching staff cost the club approximately R$2.5 million per month. Since then, he has established himself as a central figure in the club's project. Competing simultaneously in the Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship , the coach could close 2025 with up to five titles in just over a year on the job.

Real Madrid 's Champions League debut brought a surprise: Vinicius Júnior started on the bench in the 2-1 comeback victory over Olympique de Marseille last Tuesday. The striker came on in the second half, caused the penalty that resulted in Spain's second goal , and played a key role in the result.

Xabi Alonso on Vini Jr. on the bench: "I don't think a player plays every game"

This Friday (20), coach Xabi Alonso spoke at a press conference about the decision to drop the Brazilian . Without confirming whether the Flamengo player will start against Espanyol this Saturday, the coach said he spoke to the striker during training.

"Yesterday I realized it wasn't the right time to talk to him, but today he had a better, more positive smile . I talked to him and ended up doing some individualized things during training. We'll see tomorrow," said Alonso.

CAST MANAGEMENT

The coach emphasized the need to rotate the squad throughout the season and reinforced that even Mbappé, the team's star player, will have moments on the bench: " There will be many games. If I don't start one, it's for peace of mind . I don't think a player plays every game. You have to be aware of the loads, and there will be some who won't play. We've played five games, and we may have to wait and see how things unfold," he added.

REAL MADRID'S NEXT GAME

Real Madrid returns to the field this Saturday (21), at 11:15 am (Brasília time), at the Santiago Bernabéu, against Espanyol, for the fifth round of LaLiga. The team leads the competition with a 100% record , adding four wins in four games.