NOT FOR LONG, FLAMENGO! ATLÉTICO-MG HOLDS THE BIGGEST UNBEATABLE LEAD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP CURRENTLY

After the draw in the Campeón del Siglo against Peñarol, Flamengo was eliminated from the Libertadores, marking two consecutive editions of the competition without achieving an away victory. The last time the red-black team won as a visitor was in the 2022 Libertadores semi-final, when they defeated Vélez 4-0.

Since that triumph, which took place on August 31, 2022, Flamengo played nine away matches in the Libertadores and failed to win any of them. The opponents faced were Aucas, Racing, Ñublense, Olimpia, Millonarios, Bolívar (twice), Palestino and Peñarol.

One of the most memorable moments of that Libertadores campaign of 2022, which culminated in the title for Mengão, was the victory over Vélez in Buenos Aires. With a hat-trick from Pedro, who was elected King of America that year, and a goal from Everton Ribeiro, the brilliant performance practically guaranteed Rubro-Negro's place in the final, which was also won in the return game, at Maracanã. , 2-1.

Although they haven't won away from home in the Libertadores for some time, Flamengo has a positive record as a visitor in the competition. In 88 games played away, Rubro-Negro recorded 34 wins, 24 draws and 31 defeats.

Between 2020 and 2023, Flamengo went on to boast an impressive run of 14 consecutive games without losing away from home, until being defeated by Aucas in the group stage of the last edition.

Introduced to the world as Anitta's new boyfriend during Paris Fashion Week, Brazilian midfielder Vini Souza is having a great time on the field.

Despite being relegated with Sheffield United to second place division of the English Championship last season, the 25-year-old player quickly turned things around and established himself as the protagonist of his team's attempt to return to the Premier League.

The former Flamengo player is already the first placed in the Championship's tackles ranking, second in England. Furthermore, last weekend, he wore the "Blades" captain's armband for the first time, the nickname by which his team is known.

The ability to steal the ball from opponents is precisely the best feature of Anitta's boyfriend's game. Two seasons ago, when he played for Espanyol, he was one of the record holders for this foundation in the Spanish La Liga. This was precisely the reason that made Sheffield pay 12.5 million euros (R$ 75.7 million) to take him to England.

In the current season, the Brazilian has an average of 4.3 tackles per game in the Championship, according to data collected by "WhoScored?". The one closest to him is Englishman David Ozoh, from Derby County, with 3.8 balls recovered each match.

Even in England's top division, there is only one player with better defensive numbers than Vini's. Souza: Ivorian Ibrahim Sangaré, from Nottingham Forest, who has an average of 5 tackles per match played.

One of the 12 remaining players in the squad. Sheffield squad relegated last season, the midfielder gained the trust of coach Chris Wilder and joined the hierarchy of team captains. The owner of the armband continues to be defender Jack Robinson, who has been at the club since 2020. But, in his absence and the revelation of Oliver Arblaster, created from the youth teams, the position now goes to the Brazilian.

Starting in the six rounds of the Championship already played and without having been substituted even once in the season, Vini debuted as captain in the 1-0 victory over Derby County, last Saturday.

"This is a sign of that my work is being valued, not only for what I've been doing on the field, but off it as well", he stated.

Flamengo fought until the end, but failed to score goals against Peñarol this Thursday at the Campeón del Siglo Stadium, resulting in their elimination from the Copa Libertadores. The game, which ended Mengão's participation in the competition, left the team in search of new goals, now focusing on the Brazilian Championship and the Brazilian Cup.
PRESIDENT OF PEÑAROL EXPRESSES INTEREST

After the end of the match, Peñarol's president, Ignacio Ruglio, expressed his desire to have the players Arrascaeta, De La Cruz and Varela in his squad. During an interview with Carve Deportiva radio, Ruglio highlighted the good relationship he maintains with the three athletes: “We have been in constant contact for 15 days. Their families were present in a box yesterday, especially attended by Peñarol. They are exceptional players who, at some point, will want to return.”

After the game, the Flamengo squad, accompanied by the board, passed through the mixed zone of the stadium. However, midfielder Arrascaeta decided not to give interviews to the Brazilian press, speaking only to Uruguayan journalists before quickly leaving the place. President Rodolfo Landim also chose to avoid the press, going straight to the bus without making any statements. This attitude generated criticism among fans on social media, who expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of communication from the board.

With their elimination in the Libertadores, Flamengo now directs its attention to the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil, seeking to improve its performance in the remaining competitions. The red-and-black nation hopes that the team will restructure and shine again in search of new titles.