Michael advances due to termination in Saudi and is closer to returning to Flamengo

Flamengo has two big matches ahead and needs to win both. That's because they face Bahia in the Brasileirão on Saturday and during the week, they face LDU in the Libertadores , both at Maracanã. We still don't know how Filipe Luís will set up the team and how he will make the team improve its performance, but one thing is certain; in both matches, the red-black fans promise to fill the stadium.

PARTIALS

Flamengo x Bahia – 49,789

Flamengo x LDU – 40.12

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE

Those interested can still buy tickets through the website ingressos.flamengo.com.br . Prices for the match against Bahia range from R$20 to R$400 . Tickets for the decisive match against LDU range from R$25 to R$500 .

Prices are lower compared to the first games of the season, after strong protests from fans at Maracanã.

FLAMENGO IN THIRD PLACE IN BOTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

In the Brasileirão, Flamengo is in third place, with 14 points, two less than leaders Palmeiras and Red Bull Bragantino, after all. On the other hand, in the Libertadores, Mengão is also in third, three points behind LDU and Central Córdoba.

At 35 years old and far from the spotlight of Série A, midfielder Camacho has found a sequence on the field again. Signed by CSA at the beginning of the season, the player has played 15 games for the blue team in 2025 and is enjoying a moment of stability in the Alagoas squad. Having played for Flamengo , Corinthians and Athletico, Camacho arrived in Maceió surrounded by distrust . His advanced age and recent history of injuries raised doubts about his usefulness to the team. But the midfielder has responded on the field.

A NEW MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER

Under the command of Higo Magalhães, Camacho gradually gained ground until he finally became a starter. He has already played in games of the Copa do Nordeste, Copa do Brasil, Campeonato Alagoano and Série C — in addition to the national qualifier for the knockout tournament. Camacho has played in three games of the Copa do Nordeste, three of the Copa do Brasil, three of the Campeonato Alagoano, two of the Copa do Brasil qualifiers and four of the Série C. His consistent performance in all competitions reinforces his current importance to the squad.

Despite not having scored any goals this season, the midfielder contributed one assist. He provided the pass for Bryann's goal in the 2-2 draw against Juazeirense, in the fifth round of the Copa do Nordeste. Experience has been Camacho's main asset in this return to football in the Northeast. With a career that includes stints at major clubs in the country, he is now seeking prominence in a more modest, but no less demanding, scenario.

OLD WAY, NEW FOOTBALL

CSA 's number 8 is one of the team's leaders off the field and has also been contributing in the locker room. The coaching staff values his tactical understanding and exemplary behavior with the younger players. Camacho played for Guarani in 2024, where he was a starter for part of the Série B campaign . Before that, he had spells at Flamengo, Corinthians, Santos and Athletico Paranaense, with moments of prominence especially in Curitiba and at Timão.

At Flamengo, he was part of the team that won the Brazilian Championship in 2009, while still at the beginning of his career. At Corinthians, he won the Brazilian Championship in 2017. In 2018, he lifted the Copa Sul-Americana trophy with Athletico, where he played in a rotation system under Tiago Nunes. His resume also includes winning the Série B with Audax and the Campeonato Paulista, as well as participating in Libertadores and international competitions. Even so, Camacho has become less frequent in the national news in recent years.

Matheus Sávio joined Flamengo 's professional squad in 2015, while still linked to the under-20 team. After an outstanding stint in the youth team and participation in the 2016 Copinha title, he was permanently integrated into the main group that same year. His career, however, did not have a solid sequence. Sávio alternated between occasional opportunities and loan spells. In an exclusive interview with the newspaper Lance!, the player acknowledged that he lacked maturity during that period.

URAWA REDS ON THEIR WAY

— Today, with the mindset I have today, the professionalism I have today, maybe I was a little immature when I started — said the midfielder, currently at Urawa Reds. In 2017, he had his most active season at Flamengo. He played 18 matches and scored three goals. Despite the modest number, he was seen as a useful player in the squad, especially in Campeonato Carioca games.

The following year was marked by another loan. This time, the destination was Estoril , in Portugal. The experience in Europe was short-lived: six games and one goal scored before returning to Ninho do Urubu. Back in Brazil, the midfielder had few opportunities at Flamengo in 2018 — just five matches — and ended up being loaned to CSA. At the club from Alagoas, he rediscovered his good football, scored four goals in 26 games and was state champion.

FLAMENGO OPENS ITS DOORS

His performance at CSA opened doors to the international market. In 2019, Matheus was loaned out again, this time to Kashiwa Reysol in Japan. On Asian soil, he played 20 games and was directly involved in ten goals. His performance attracted attention and the Japanese club bought his economic rights outright. Since then, he has built a solid career in Japanese football, with a notable stint at Kashiwa and, currently, at Urawa Reds.

At 28 years old, Matheus Sávio is preparing to play for the Japanese team in the Club World Cup. The tournament, which will be held in Saudi Arabia at the end of 2025, will once again put the midfielder in the spotlight. The player avoids any hard feelings with Flamengo, but he does not hide the fact that he would have liked to have performed better for the red-and-black team. For him, his personal circumstances and the stage of his career were important factors.