Soccer
José Boto talks about Fenerbahçe's proposal for Filipe Luís: “Flamengo is not…”
16 Set 2025 | 08:18
0
Soccer
03 Out 2024 | 10:50 |
0
After the victory of Flamengo by 1-0 over Corinthians, in the semi-final of the Copa do Brasil, defender Léo Ortiz spoke about his improvisation as a midfielder during Tite's period in charge of the team. Ortiz revealed that, at first, he felt uncomfortable in the position, but over time he adapted and started to feel more comfortable.
"Maybe he [Tite] didn't express himself as he wanted. This created a perception that I didn't want to play in the position, but there was never that. I felt so comfortable. I touched the ball less and participated less in the game, but I progressed and I had a streak. Everything was fine, it was just a failure of communication. My relationship with him was always very good, and I'm very grateful to him. If it weren't for him, maybe I wouldn't be in the club", said Ortiz.
THE DIFFICULT PHASE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PLAYERS
In addition to addressing his improvisation, Léo Ortiz reflected on the troubled phase that Mais Querido faced and highlighted that the blame for the defeats did not lie exclusively with Tite. For him, the players should also be held responsible for the difficulties the team experienced.
"The change of coach happens because it is difficult to change several players at once. The fault, however, is not just the coach. We all have our share of responsibility for the defeats and eliminations. This was evident last Sunday (29), when dissatisfaction with everyone's work was exposed. When a coach leaves, the players also need to reflect and understand their faults in the process. The coach leaves, but those of us who remain must also respond on the field," said the defender.
FLAMENGO PREPARES FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE
O Flamengoreturns to the field next Saturday (5), facing Bahia at Arena Fonte Nova, in the 29th round of the Brazilian Championship. It will be another important challenge for the club to continue its recovery in the Brasileirão and maintain the momentum after the victory in the Copa do Brasil.
Midfielder left Mengão after Zenit paid the full termination fee and the director says the situation also delayed the club in the market
16 Set 2025 | 09:30 |
0
Flamengo's technical director, José Boto, addressed various topics from the season in a recent interview . Among them was the departure of Gerson, who was transferred to Zenit (RUS) for €25 million. The director explained how the transfer directly impacted the Flamengo market and negotiations for reinforcements.
José Boto on Gerson's departure from Flamengo: "I always had the feeling that Gerson aspired to a higher salary"
According to Boto, after Gerson's sale, the clubs negotiating with Flamengo began demanding tougher terms, such as larger upfront payments and fewer installments. The board, however, maintained its stance.
"There was an additional issue that made negotiations take longer: the sale of Gerson . When clubs know we're receiving €25 million upfront, they start wanting us to pay upfront or with smaller installments . We never wanted to get into that, because it would send a bad signal to the market," Boto told UOL.
This stance meant that the signings took longer to be confirmed, generating criticism from fans and the press . The manager acknowledged his discomfort with the "noise" surrounding the issue due to statements made before the window opened.
"Perhaps I was to blame for this because I said in an interview that negotiations were already underway and we expected to bring in players early. It created unnecessary fuss, and it seemed like everything was wrong . Then, when the players arrived at the right time, without paying more than we should have, the window became one of the best in history."
Despite the initial turbulence, the club closed the biggest transfer window in its history, with R$277 million invested in Samuel Lino, Emerson Royal, Jorge Carrascal and Saúl Ñíguez — the latter signed without transfer fees.
Commenting on Gerson's departure, Boto treated the player's choice matter-of-factly. According to him, there was never a €29 million offer, as was previously reported . The real offer was a fixed €18 million, with unrealistic bonuses.
"I always had the feeling that Gerson aspired to a higher salary, which is natural. It was agreed that he would only leave if they paid him upfront, and that's what happened . It's perfectly normal in football," the director explained. The departure, however, didn't sit well with the fans, who felt the decision diminished the idolization of Gerson, one of the leaders of the red-and-black squad in recent years.
After a day off last Monday, the Mengão squad returns to activities at Ninho do Urubu in preparation for the decisive duel in the competition.
16 Set 2025 | 09:11 |
0
Flamengo's squad returned to work on Tuesday morning (16), at Ninho do Urubu, after having a day off on Monday (15) . The activity starts at 9:30 am (Brasília time) and marked the beginning of preparations for the duel against Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG), valid for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores.
The club's communications department announced that goalkeeper Agustín Rossi will be the team's spokesperson for the day . The number 1 will hold a press conference immediately after training, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Ninho do Urubu. You can stay up to date with everything in Gazeta do Urubu.
Last Sunday (14), Flamengo defeated Juventude 2-0 at Alfredo Jaconi Stadium in Caxias do Sul in the Brazilian Championship . Arrascaeta opened the scoring in the first half, while Emerson Royal doubled the lead in the second, both with headers, sealing the victory for Flamengo. With the result, the team broke a nearly 28-year drought without beating Juventude away from home.
The victory took Flamengo to 50 points, maintaining its sole lead in the tournament . "Mais Querido" also bolstered its stats as the best attack (47 goals scored) and best defense (only ten conceded in 22 matches). "Mais Querido" also leads a set of statistics in the Brasileirão.
Now, the focus turns to the Libertadores. Flamengo faces Estudiantes this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã . The return game, in La Plata, is already scheduled for September 25. The match will be broadcast on ESPN (pay TV) and Disney+ (streaming) throughout Brazil.
The striker was unknown to the general public before his arrival at Sporting and the director of Mengão says that negotiations with this profile are complex
16 Set 2025 | 08:48 |
0
Flamengo's football director, José Boto, said on Monday (15) that Brazilian football is not yet prepared to deal with the signing of little-known players . The director used as an example the case of striker Viktor Gyökeres, bought by Sporting (POR) when he was still playing in the English second division and later sold for 70 million euros.
José Boto uses Gyökeres as an example for signings at Flamengo: "this would be impossible"
"Sporting sold Gyökeres this year for €70 million. If I wanted to bring him to Flamengo , no one would say anything. But when Sporting paid €20 million for him in the English second division, that would have been impossible given the reaction I saw to a €5 million signing . We have to be smart enough to adapt to cultural differences and fan bases," Boto explained in an interview with UOL.
The director then reinforced the need for balance in the Rubro-Negro's negotiations: "At a club like Flamengo , with its size, it's necessary to create a mixed market. Players with impressive names and others who, even without much immediate impact, will add technical value and can still generate sporting or financial returns in the future."
Flamengo had agreed to sign striker Michael Johnston from West Bromwich Albion (ENG) for £5 million (approximately R$37 million). The player had already purchased a ticket to Rio de Janeiro, but the deal was canceled.
The club's official version was that the player had physical problems, but intense pressure from the fans played a decisive role. The negative repercussions led the board to definitively end negotiations with Johnston and West Bromwich.
Without Johnston, Flamengo bolstered its squad with more high-profile names. In the same window, Samuel Lino, Jorge Carrascal, Saúl Ñíguez, and Emerson Royal were announced , in addition to other reinforcements signed earlier in the year.
SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTER
See previous
