Flamengo's Juninho is in the sights of a Champions League club

Looking to strengthen the squad for the fight to escape the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship Series B, Athletic confirmed the arrival of defender Felipe Vieira , a young player trained in the youth ranks of Flamengo.

TRAJECTORY AT FLAMENGO

Felipe joined Flamengo in 2022 to play for the under-17 team and quickly excelled. At under-20, he earned a place in national and international competitions, demonstrating maturity and confidence. He was part of the squad that won the Under-20 Libertadores , a competition in which Flamengo defeated Palmeiras on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final.

With the title, the club secured a spot in the U-20 Intercontinental Championship, which they won against Barcelona. The defender also lifted the U-20 Carioca Championship trophy for Mais Querido, but was not among the squad for the World Cup .

ARRIVAL AT ATHLETIC

Now in Athletic 's professional squad, Felipe is already training under coach Rui Duarte, who now counts on the defender as an option to strengthen the defensive system in Serie B. The Minas Gerais club has the worst defense in the championship with 33 goals conceded.

FELIPE VIEIRA'S NUMBERS

In the 2024/25 season, Felipe started 15 matches for Flamengo's youth academy, totaling 721 minutes on the pitch. He didn't score any goals or provide any assists, but he received only four yellow cards and no red cards , demonstrating discipline. His main strengths are positioning, reading the game, aerial dominance, and defensive anticipation.

The recent change in the Brazilian football calendar continues to generate controversy . Flamengo, which had weeks off after being eliminated from the Copa do Brasil, saw this plan compromised by the change made by the CBF . However, this Monday (25), Filipe Luís's team showed strength: they thrashed Vitória 8-0 at Maracanã, after four days of rest. For the coach, the break was decisive for the performance.

Filipe Luís on his break at Flamengo: "It will be demonstrated one day and it will change"

"The club has already taken a position, and I prefer not to comment on the matter (of changing the calendar). Players with four days of rest fly, and then after every three days they can't perform. This hasn't been proven yet; it will be proven one day, and it will change . I'm absolutely certain that, scientifically, they will demonstrate that a player needs four days to fully recover. It won't be this year," the coach stated.

DECISIVE REST

Before facing Vitória, Flamengo had faced Internacional on Wednesday (20). Thus, the interval between the two commitments guaranteed a four-day recovery period , exactly what Filipe Luís defends as ideal for athletes to reach maximum performance.

HOW WAS THE ROUTE?

Flamengo gave their opponent no chance . Just two minutes into the game, the scoreboard was already 2-0, with goals from Samuel Lino and Pedro. Later in the first half, Arrascaeta extended the lead. In the second half, Flamengo accelerated and built a historic rout: Pedro (twice), Lino, Luiz Araújo, and Bruno Henrique sealed the 8-0 victory.

NEXT CHALLENGE

After the result, fans are already planning their next match. Flamengo will have another four days of rest before facing Grêmio on Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão. Mengão is the isolated leader of the competition with 46 points, four more than the second-placed Palmeiras.

On Monday night (25), Flamengo wrote another historic chapter at Maracanã. In the 21st round of the Brasileirão, Rubro-Negro thrashed Vitória 8-0 in front of a packed stadium . One of the big names in the match was Samuel Lino, who directly participated in five goals and was elected the 'Fans' Star' .

ELECTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The club opened a vote on its digital platforms for fans to choose the best player on the pitch. With 53.9% of the vote, Samuel Lino beat out strong competitors like Pedro, Arrascaeta, and Bruno Henrique . The number 16 was decisive with two goals and three assists.

Voting result:

1. Samuel Lino – 53.9%
2. Pedro – 36.7%
3. Arrascaeta – 8.7%
4. Bruno Henrique – 0.8%

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

Just two minutes in, Samuel Lino opened the scoring for Flamengo . Later in the first half, he set up Arrascaeta for the third goal. In the second half, he maintained his momentum: assisting Pedro to extend the lead, scoring again after a pass from Varela , and shortly after, feeding the number 9 again to seal his fifth direct contribution to the score.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

After the rout, Flamengo focuses on the duel against Grêmio, valid for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão . The game will be next Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), again at Maracanã. The Mais Querido is the isolated leader of the competition with 46 points, four more than Palmeiras, in second place.