Flamengo players participate in a lecture on legal issues at Ninho do Urubu

Since Luiz Eduardo Baptista took office as president, Flamengo has been fighting for a more advantageous division within Libra . However, the club has been unable to reach an agreement with the other members of the bloc and estimates a loss of approximately R$100 million from 2024 to 2025, while its rivals have come out ahead. The contract signed between Libra and Globo provides for a payment of R$1.170 billion to the Série A clubs, plus a share of R$100 million to R$200 million in pay-per-view , depending on total revenue.

HOW THE DIVISION WORKS

Sharing follows the following model:

• 40% equally among all clubs;
• 30% according to championship position;
• 30% according to audience.

The point of contention lies in the audience distribution. In games like Flamengo vs. Vitória, for example, the criteria establishes that the ratings are split 50-50 , even though the majority of the audience is driven by the red-and-black side.

Flamengo attempted to change the rule, proposing adjustments that could increase its revenue by up to R$23 million , but there was no consensus. According to journalist Rodrigo Mattos, the other clubs refused to give up the funds that would have been allocated to them.

CONFLICT WITH LIBRA

Without an agreement, Flamengo notified Globo and other members of the bloc, requesting a suspension of distribution until a standard distribution is established. The club believes the current pay-per-view rules are confusing and lack well-established parameters.

On one hand, Flamengo believes that changes could only take effect starting in 2026. On the other, Libra accuses the club of intransigence , claiming it tried to impose immediate changes. According to Flamengo's accounts, TV revenue, which ranged between R$290 million and R$300 million in 2024, is expected to fall to R$190 million to R$200 million in 2025.

DETERIORATED RELATIONSHIP

The crisis has completely damaged the relationship between Flamengo and Libra. Although the club is not considering leaving the bloc, it already considers it unlikely that it will negotiate new contracts together. The dispute, however, is far from over and is expected to yield new chapters in the coming months.

After four rounds without losing — with three wins and one draw — Flamengo suffered its first defeat in the Campeonato Carioca Sub-20 . On Saturday morning (6), in Gávea, Rubro-Negro was beaten by Vasco by 3 to 1, in a duel valid for the 6th round of the competition.

HOW WAS THE CLASSIC

Vasco didn't take long to open the scoring. Just three minutes in, Samuel played a clever one-two through the middle and finished into Léo Nannetti's top corner : 1-0. Flamengo struggled to penetrate the area against Vasco's tight defense, while the refereeing, by excessively stopping the game due to fouls, left the first half a tense period without any significant chances.

In the second half, the Red-Blacks managed to rally. In the 16th minute, after a cross was blocked by the opposing defense, Daniel Sales took a first-time shot from outside the box and scored a stunning goal , tying the derby. However, the draw was short-lived.

Right from the start, Vasco scored again through Riquelme, who capitalized on a rebound to put the visitors back in front . Shortly after, in the 23rd minute, Samuel received the ball in the box and passed it to Léo Jacó to make it 3-1.

With a comfortable lead, Vasco retreated to hold on. Flamengo had more possession , but couldn't convert their dominance into clear-cut chances. João Vitor scored the fourth goal in the final play, sealing Vasco's victory.

LINEUPS

Flamengo: Leo Nannetti; Daniel Sales, Da Mata, Carbone and Gusttavo; João Alves, Pablo and Guilherme; Felipe Teresa, Joshua and Pedro Leão.

Vasco: Phillipe Gabriel; Breno Vereza, Wanyson, Walace Falcao and Riquelme; Gustavo Guimarães, Euder and Samuel; Estrella, Juninho and Zucarello.

For now, forwards Juninho and Michael remain at Flamengo . Both were on the list of players available for transfer, but the board didn't like the offers they received. Therefore, at least until a new decision is made, they remain on the roster and at the disposal of Filipe Luís's coaching staff .

The reality, however, is complicated. Both are behind several competitors in the attacking sector and have long contracts, expiring on December 31, 2028. In Michael 's case, the situation is even more pressing: in addition to the competition, the striker has a high salary, which makes any transfer difficult, especially in the domestic market. The information was released by UOL.

NEGOTIATIONS DID NOT PROGRESS

Juninho and Michael received inquiries from Saudi football, but all proposals involved loans . The model didn't please the players or Mais Querido, preventing any progress in the negotiations.

With no playing time, Michael hasn't played since June 24, when he faced Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup. After that, he was a substitute against Bayern Munich and only included in the squad against São Paulo and Grêmio , without playing any minutes.

Juninho , meanwhile, played in five games after the World Cup in the United States, always coming on as a substitute. In total, he only played 62 minutes, reflecting the lack of space under Filipe Luís. His last appearance was on August 8 , in a 1-1 draw against Ceará at Castelão.

BRUNO HENRIQUE'S PUNISHMENT MAY CHANGE THE SCENARIO

Bruno Henrique's 12-match suspension, imposed by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) for match-fixing, could open up opportunities for Juninho and Michael. Flamengo, however, has already announced it will appeal the decision . Currently, competition in their respective sectors remains fierce: in addition to them, the squad includes Pedro, Samuel Lino, Plata, Luiz Araújo, Wallace Yan, and Everton Cebolinha.