SOUTH AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS LAUNCH CONFRONTS WITH FLAMENGO: "LUCK DIDN'T SMILE"

Retired from the field since 2017, former midfielder Zé Roberto, who had a spell at Flamengoin the 90s, it is looking to buy 90% of SAF from São Bento, a club in São Paulo. According to GE, a meeting scheduled for this Wednesday night (18) could decree the sale of the Sorocaba team to the company Flash Forward, which belongs to the former player.

Zé Roberto is the main name of the company. However, the group also has partners such as former athlete Fransérgio and businessman Tiago Ribeiro (former CEO of Estoril). In addition to Flamengo, Zé played in Brazilian football with the shirts of Palmeiras, Santos and Grêmio. In Europe, the former athlete defended giants such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

The offer is R$130 million, which would be paid in installments. This amount would be invested on a specific basis in the football team and the club’s structure. The project is to take São Bento to the elite of São Paulo football and Brazilian Series B in up to six seasons.

Revelation from Portuguesa-SP, Zé Roberto stood out at Lusa and caught the attention of Real Madrid in 1997. However, the player had difficulty fitting into the Spanish club and was loaned to Flamengo in 1998.

At Flamengo, Zé Roberto was a starter in the Campeonato Carioca competition, entered the field 23 times and aroused the interest of Bayer Leverkusen , leaving Gávea in the same season. As an athlete, the former midfielder also played in the 2006 World Cup for the Brazilian team.

Flaengo striker Luiz Araújo underwent successful surgery this Wednesday (13) to correct an osteochondral injury in his right knee. The procedure, carried out by doctor Max Ramos and accompanied by Márcio Tannure, head of the club's medical department, was necessary after the player fractured his cartilage during the derby against Vasco, last Sunday (10).

The osteochondral injury involves the cartilage, a tissue that covers the bones between the joints. In cases of separation, degeneration or rupture, the underlying bone may also be affected. This condition is common in joints such as the knee, ankle and elbow, and can cause pain and movement limitations.

Luiz Araújo suffered the injury in a dispute with left-back Lucas Piton, from Vasco. After the collision, the Mais Querido player needed medical attention and, although he tried to continue on the field, he was substituted in the 17th minute of the first half.

The red-black attacker's estimated recovery time is approximately two months. During this period, he will undergo an intensive process of physiotherapy and physical rehabilitation, with the expectation of returning in shape for the end of the season.

Flamengo's medical department is closely monitoring Luiz Araújo's progress, ensuring that the player has all the conditions for a full recovery. The team is also looking for alternatives to make up for the athlete's absence in the next important commitments, both in the Brasileirão and the Libertadores.

This Thursday, September 19th, Flamengo takes to the field to face Peñarol, at 7pm (Brasília time), at the Maracanã Stadium, in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores. Mais Querido is looking for a good advantage in front of its fans to advance to the semi-finals of the continental competition.

CRF is having a good campaign this season, despite coach Tite's work still dividing opinions among fans. With 45 points, Rubro-Negro occupies 4th place in the Brazilian Championship, eight points behind leader Botafogo. In the last match, the team drew 1-1 with Vasco, also at Maracanã.

In the round of 16 of the Libertadores, Flamengo eliminated Bolívar with a aggregate score of 2 to 1. For this Thursday's clash, Tite will have to deal with important absences. Striker Luiz Araújo, injured, is out, joining the list of absences that already includes Cebolinha, Michael, Pedro and full-back Viña.

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN and Disney+. The referee designated for the clash is Venezuelan Jesus Valenzuela, with assistance from compatriots Jorge Urrego and Tulio Moreno. The match promises to be fierce, as both teams have a balanced record in South American competitions.

Flamengo (Coach: Tite):

Rossi; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Pulgar, De La Cruz, Gerson and Arrascaeta; Plata and Bruno Henrique.

Peñarol (Coach: Diego Aguirre):

Aguerre; Pedro Milans, Léo Coelho, Javier Méndez, Guzmán Rodríguez and Maximiliano Olivera; Eduardo Darías, Damián García and Leonardo Fernández; Javier Cabrera and Maximiliano Silvera.