Neymar mentions Flamengo after Santos' loss to Mirassol

Turning attention to the Brasileirão, Flamengo beat Mirassol 2-1 this Saturday (9) at Maracanã, and remained firm in the lead of the national competition. One of the visiting team's goals was scored by Gabriel 'Jamal', former athlete of Mais Querido, who experienced a special moment upon returning to the stadium where he won titles and wore the number 10 shirt.

When asked about finding the net at a venue he knows well, Jamal couldn't hide his satisfaction: "The Maracanã is the biggest stage in world football; it's always great to score here. A great game, a great crowd , a great club on a global scale. Scoring a goal is always good, it's important, especially on the biggest stage in Brazilian football. We're happy."

PRAISED THE QUALITY OF ARRASCAETA

The striker also commented on the duel with Arrascaeta , the current number 10 for the red-black team: " I took his shirt, he gave it to me. He was very helpful. In my opinion, he's the most consistent number 10 in Brazilian football in recent years," he said.

Gabriel praises Arrascaeta: "A guy who thinks ahead"

"He's a guy who maintains a very high standard, very difficult. Players come to Brazil and compare themselves to him, but he's always at the top. A guy who thinks ahead, is always second to the line. He masters the fundamentals between the lines. It's very difficult to play from where he plays, and he does it masterfully. It's good to watch him play," he concluded.

MIRASSOL SEES THE MATCH AS A TEST

Despite the loss, Gabriel stated that the São Paulo team viewed the game as an opportunity to test their strength against one of the most qualified squads in the country: " It leaves a feeling that we could have won, because Mirassol had gone three months, nine games, without a win. It leaves this feeling that we could have beaten them, despite Flamengo being the leader of the Brazilian championship," said the player.

Flamengo started with intensity against Palmeiras in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the 2025 Women's Brasileirão , held on Sunday morning (10), in Rio de Janeiro. With the support of the fans, the Mais Querido opened the scoring in the 37th minute of the first half , when Djenifer finished low after a good collective play. Even before half-time, Jucinara extended the lead with a perfect free kick, giving the Rubro-Negras a 2-0 advantage.

In the second half, Palmeiras adjusted their positioning and reacted quickly. In the 12th minute, Tainá Maranhão received a precise assist and pulled one back. Shortly after, the same forward participated in the play that resulted in the equalizer, demonstrating Palmeiras' offensive prowess. The draw, however, didn't last long.

DECISIVE GOAL GUARANTEES VICTORY

In the 34th minute, Djenifer once again appeared as a key player, taking advantage of a cross from Laysa to score Flamengo 's third goal and seal the final result of 3-2. The São Paulo team still tried to press in the final minutes , but the red-black defense maintained the advantage until the final whistle.

SCENARIO FOR THE RETURN GAME

With the victory, Flamengo takes the advantage of a draw to the semifinals into the second leg in São Paulo. Palmeiras, meanwhile, needs to win by two goals to advance in regulation time, or win by one goal to take the match to penalties.

WHAT ABOUT THE MEN'S TEAM?

Rubro-Negro returns to the field next Wednesday (13) to face Internacional, at 9:30 pm, for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Conmebol Libertadores . Soon after, they face the team from Rio Grande do Sul again in a duel for the Brasileirão.

Flamengo is enjoying a solid season, leading the Brasileirão despite playing a game less and qualifying for the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. This performance is the result of a strong and skilled squad, but the team recently had to deal with the departure of one of its key players .

Gerson left the club to sign with Zenit in Russia after receiving a salary offer three times higher . The negotiations took place while the team was competing in the Super Club World Cup in the United States. Throughout the process, the player remained silent, generating apprehension among fans about his future.

RETURN PLAN

Despite the manner of his departure, information released by the 'Bolavip' portal indicates that Gerson intends to return to Flamengo after his contract with the Russian club ends. The midfielder understands that, given his importance and the winning history he built at Gávea, a new stint would further enhance his legacy at the club where he won multiple titles.

CAST REORGANIZATION

Even with the loss of Gerson , Filipe Luís still has good options on the roster . The board, which was considering releasing some players, changed its mind. One example is Cebolinha, who has been showing his worth on the field and is unlikely to be traded again.

Another name in focus is midfielder Saúl, who faced questions about his performance, but made a point of speaking out and projecting a recovery for the team in the Brasileirão , demonstrating confidence in a turnaround.