LANDIM LAMENTS THE DEATH OF APOLINHO AND DECLARES: "LEAVES A VERY BIG VOID"

Flamengo entered the field with the clear mission of winning by at least two goals to stay alive in the competition. The plan was aggressive from the start, with high marking and quick transitions. Just 9 minutes in, the strategy paid off: Lorran led a fast counterattack and left Rafael Couto in a great position. Bill was face to face with goalkeeper Gabriel Felix, but was stopped by the tricolor's good defense.

Fluminense then showed efficiency. Júlio Fidelis crossed from the right, and Keven Samuel appeared well in the area to open the scoring for the home team. The goal slowed down Flamengo's pace, who felt the blow and saw their rival manage the advantage intelligently.

LORRAN TRIED BUT COULDN'T REVERSE IT

Still in the first half, Rubro-Negro had another opportunity in the 37th minute . Lorran found Bill in good condition again , but once again the striker did not take advantage. In the 43rd minute, the number 11 had another clear chance, but Gabriel Felix made another great save. In injury time, Wanderson received a good pass on the right, crossed into the area, but no one was able to finish.

FLAMENGO ELIMINATED FROM THE OPG TOURNAMENT

The first half ended with Flamengo on top, but without converting their superiority into a goal. The second half began like the first: Flamengo pressing. Lorran took a dangerous free kick in the first few minutes, forcing another save from the tricolor goalkeeper.

However, in one of Fluminense's few attempts, Dohmann took a long-range shot and took advantage of a mistake by the red-black goalkeeper to make it 2-0, further increasing the aggregate advantage, now 3-0 for Tricolor. Flamengo's response was not long in coming. In the 13th minute, Jorge Mora made a good play on the left and found Lorran inside the area. The number 10 finished with class to reduce the deficit: 2-1 in the game, 3-1 on aggregate.

Gerson's transfer to Zenit, Russia , has been officially completed. The European club paid the 25 million euro (approximately R$ 160 million) release clause, and the midfielder's contract termination has already been published in the Daily Information Bulletin (BID) of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

However, the player has not yet made a public statement about his departure from Flamengo, nor has he even said goodbye to his teammates at Ninho do Urubu. The lack of a formal farewell drew attention , especially since he is an athlete who had a remarkable time and won important titles for Mais Querido.

ARRASCAETA PAYS TRIBUTE TO GERSON

Given the midfielder's silence, Arrascaeta was the first to make a public gesture of farewell. This Saturday (5), Mengão's number 10 used his social media to pay tribute to his former teammate. The post was accompanied by an image of both of them alongside Bruno Henrique, in a relaxed moment.

Arrascaeta to Gerson at Flamengo: "Idol"

" Synonymous with character and professionalism. Our group knows how important you were to our achievements and how much you put this team above all else. You have earned my respect and, without a doubt, you are a great idol ," wrote the Uruguayan.

CLIMATE OF WEAR

Gerson 's silence comes amid a climate of tension that has intensified since the beginning of the year, when Marcão, the athlete's father, expressed dissatisfaction with his son's salary. The midfielder's staff considered the salary to be outdated in relation to the market , which led the club to negotiate a contract renewal in 2023, extending the link until 2030.

However, the new deal included a significant reduction in the release clause, which made it easier for Zenit, a club that had previously shown interest, to make an investment. The deal was concluded quickly and without any major public outcry from the player or the club.

Flamengo is close to confirming another international signing. Striker Michael Johnston, 26, should be officially announced as the club's new player in the coming days. The Irish athlete will arrive in Rio de Janeiro next Tuesday (8), coming from London, to undergo medical examinations and sign a contract with the Rio de Janeiro club. The information was released by journalist Cahê Mota, from the ge portal.

Having played for clubs in Scotland, Portugal and England, Johnston came through Celtic's youth ranks and made his professional debut in 2017. His peak for the Scottish club came in 2019, when he scored in the UEFA Europa League against Stade Rennais. Despite his potential, a series of injuries and intense competition within the squad have limited his prospects at Celtic.

In 2022, he was loaned to Vitória de Guimarães, from Portugal, and, at the beginning of 2024, he went to West Bromwich , from the English second division. His time in the Championship was positive, registering three goals and five assists, which aroused the interest of Mais Querido. The value of the negotiation is around R$ 37 million.

FEATURED IN ENGLAND

His good performances in English football earned Michael Johnston a call-up to the Ireland national team, for which he made his debut in March 2023. His first goal in an Irish shirt was scored a few months later, in a match against Gibraltar.

PLAYER HAS GOOD QUALITIES

The player plays as a second striker and is praised for his mobility on the field and good reading of the game . Now, he arrives at Flamengo as a bet to reinforce the offensive system in the final stretch of the season and increase competitiveness in the squad.