Luiz Araújo comes off the bench and is once again decisive for Flamengo

Flamengo's executive director of football, José Boto , spoke publicly for the first time about the controversy surrounding Pedro after the Club World Cup. The Portuguese director denied that the club had any intention of negotiating the number 9 , despite a leaked screenshot from a member of the football department suggesting otherwise.

In an interview with "UOL," Boto revealed that Flamengo rejected an offer of approximately $18 million from Qatar for the striker. He also said that the entire controversy helped Pedro dedicate himself more to training:

"There was never any intention to sell. It was a time when Pedro wasn't being used. But there was no intention to sell for any price other than what we knew Pedro was worth. Everything was done to ensure he achieved the performance he delivers to the team today. We are very pleased with this performance," the director stated.

INTERNAL CRITICISM AND ATTACKER'S REACTION

Pedro's situation was further debated after Filipe Luís publicly criticized the player's performance in training. At the time, the striker and his staff considered leaving Flamengo . However, Pedro met with the squad, acknowledged his declining performance, and turned things around, regaining his starting spot.

JOSÉ BOTO HIGHLIGHTS PEDRO'S EVOLUTION

For Boto, the episode had a positive impact on the number 9's recent trajectory. " The most important thing is that everything that was said, everything that was said, everything that was made public about Pedro, resulted in a different Pedro. A Pedro who helps Flamengo a lot and helps himself grow as a player. Everything else is normal stuff that happens at clubs," the director assessed.

On Thursday (18), Flamengo and Estudiantes face each other at Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro, in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores . The clash marks the beginning of the fight for a place in the semifinals of the continental tournament.

Coach Eduardo Domínguez previewed the match and expressed confidence in his team's performance against their Brazilian rivals: “It won't be easy, but I feel the team will be ready. We are preparing for this stage, we know the difficulties we will face and those our rivals will face. Whoever puts their ideas into practice best will have the advantage,” said the coach this Sunday (14).

STUDENTS' RETROSPECT

Estudiantes will play the match at home after having a superior campaign in the group stage: they led Group A with 12 points. Flamengo , on the other hand, advanced in second place in Group C, with 11 points, behind LDU-EQU.

In the round of 16, the Argentine team defeated Cerro Porteño 1-0 in Paraguay and confirmed their qualification with a 0-0 draw in Argentina. In this edition of the Libertadores, Estudiantes has three wins and only one loss away from home , precisely against Botafogo in the group stage.

TECHNICIAN REINFORCES IMPORTANCE

Eduardo Domínguez acknowledged Maracanã's tradition, but highlighted his team's experience playing away from home as an asset. " We know the history of this stadium, and it's good to face that, but we're 11 against 11. We understand how we have to play away from home because we've already done it in this Copa Libertadores. It's about understanding how our opponents work and where we want to push them: to discomfort. We have to be strong, not just physically, but also mentally," the coach assessed.

Flamengo has already begun planning for next season and confirmed that Matheus Cunha, Pablo, and Cleiton will not have their contracts renewed . All three will leave the club at the end of their contracts. Other names are also on the list of possible departures. Everton Cebolinha, Michael, and Juninho are considered negotiable. The number 11, for example, is attracting interest from Grêmio for 2026.

Another case in question is defensive midfielder Allan. Coach Filipe Luís has prioritized other midfield options, and the player is open to a potential return to Atlético-MG , where he could re-team with Jorge Sampaoli. This information was released by journalist Guilherme Frossard, who covers the Galo news team.

NEGOTIATION FROM JANUARY

With the transfer window in Brazil closed, any transfer activity will only be possible starting in January . Atlético-MG is closely monitoring the situation and is expected to consider a move. In 2023, Flamengo spent approximately R$43 million to sign Allan from Galo, at the request of Sampaoli, then the club's coach.

ALLAN DIDN'T PERFORM AS EXPECTED AT FLAMENGO

At the Rio de Janeiro club, however, Allan didn't replicate his performance in Belo Horizonte. Today, the defensive midfielder occupies a secondary position in Filipe Luís's squad . In the last round of the Brasileirão, Betano faced Grêmio, he sat on the bench for the entire match.

REFORMULATION IN SIGHT

Even with the full focus on winning the Copa Libertadores and the Brasileirão, the board is already working toward 2026. The goal is to reduce the payroll by selling reserves and making room for a major signing in January , under the command of José Boto. Another unresolved issue is the retention of coach Filipe Luís. His current contract expires in December, and the club's first offer was rejected. Negotiations are expected to continue in the coming weeks.