MARÍLIA NERY, WIFE OF EVERTON RIBEIRO THANKS FLAMENGO FANS FOR THE CARE IN THE MATCH AGAINST BAHIA

Flamengo idol, Gabigol seems to be experiencing a melancholic end at the club. The player has felt the board's lack of interest in renewing his contract and receives few minutes on the field under Tite's command. The situation, practically consolidated by the board, has irritated the attacker.

According to the portal Uol, which released information this Wednesday morning (18), Gabigol adopted a more reserved stance in training and has not presented the expected performance in terms of intensity and performance, which contributed to the loss of space, being passed over by Carlinhos.

The portal also highlights that Gabigol shows dissatisfaction with his current situation and, during training, arrives commenting on the little playing time he has received. With the lack of opportunities, the chances of reversing this scenario decrease.

Another factor that complicates Gabigol's situation at Flamengo are the statements made by the club's directors. When asked about the striker's future, the answer is that the chances of renewal are minimal. This stance is reinforced by the little use of the player by Tite.

In 2024, Gabigol started as a starter in just three matches, although he was listed for 33 games. Two of these opportunities were at Cariocão, and only one at Brasileirão. Furthermore, the number 99 has been deployed in midfield, without being tested as a center forward in the absence of Pedro, who is injured.

The striker has already sought more diligently for a place in the starting team, but the The sum of all these factors has discouraged Gabigol, who now sees the end of the season as a countdown to his last moments with the Flamengo shirt.

With the future undefined, there would still be the possibility of renewal, but the board's statements indicate otherwise. Marcos Braz, for example, has already stated that it is “unlikely” that Flamengo will extend Gabigol's contract.

The club even offered a renewal for another year, with a 50% salary increase. However, this was the established limit, and, without being able to demonstrate to Tite that he can still be useful to the squad, it is unlikely that a new proposal will be made.

The Peñarol team arrived in Rio de Janeiro this past Tuesday (17) to prepare for the clash against Flamengo. Aiming for the match against Mais Querido, striker Javier Cabrera revealed what would be the best strategy to adopt at Maracanã.

“We have to defend well, but what we do very well is the counterattack from the flanks , right and left, so we hope that happens", said Javier Cabrera, about Peñarol's game strategy for the match against Flamengo.

"We know the importance of this game, but we cannot forget that we decided at home. We know the shirt we're wearing. They have a great squad; whoever plays, we'll try to make as few mistakes as possible", concluded the Peñarol player.

Despite Javier Cabrera's confidence, Flamengo will be able to count on the support of the Nation, which promises to fill Maracanã on Thursday (19). Playing at the "Templo Sagrado", Rubro-Negro lost only two matches, against Botafogo and Fortaleza, both in the Brasileirão.

Thus, the Mais Querido squad continues preparing for the clash against Peñarol, in the Libertadores. The first game will be at Maracanã, on Thursday (19). The ball rolls at 7pm, with live broadcast throughout Brazil on ESPN, on a closed channel, and Disney+, via streaming. The decision will be valid for the Libertadores quarter-finals.

The confrontation between Flamengoand Bahia in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil brought remarkable reunions. On one side, coach Rogério Ceni, former coach of Mais Querido, and Éverton Ribeiro, idol of the Rio club, now defending the colors of Tricolor de Aço. However, neither of them managed to stop the advance of Mengão, who won the two games, round trip, 1-0, guaranteeing a place in the semi-finals of the competition.

With classification assured, Rubro-Negro is now preparing to face Corinthians in search of a place in the grand final of the Brazilian Cup. It is worth remembering that in 2022 the club won the title over São Paulo. 

After the elimination, Bahia's coach, Rogério Ceni, gave an interview collective where he analyzed his team's performance and highlighted the superiority of Flamengo. Ceni, who has a history of defeats against Mengão, once again praised the quality of the red and black squad, highlighting the difficulty of facing such a well-structured team.

“Facing Flamengo is never easy. They have a very strong team, with great technical quality, and they showed that in both games. Despite our efforts, we were unable to be more efficient”, said the coach.

On Bahia's side, Éverton Ribeiro also commented on the match, expressing frustration with the result. The former Mengão number 10 recognized the strength of the CRF, but believes that the Esquadrão de Aço could have presented more consistent football on the field, especially in a decisive confrontation.

“There is a feeling of great frustration . In the first game, we had a good performance, but today we were not incisive, we were unable to scare Flamengo”, declared Ribeiro. The player added: “In games like this, where a place is decided, we need to be more persistent, create more chances and finish better.”