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Now, a star team will take the field in the last round to also guarantee the title of Portugal's second division
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It is becoming increasingly common to see Garotos do Ninho having good times in European football, this time it was goalkeeper Gabriel Batista. With another confident performance from the former Fla and the team, this Sunday (12), Santa Clara beat Mafra 2-0 and guaranteed access to Portugal's first division with one round in advance.
Playing away from home, the team managed to play securely in the defensive phase and was vastly superior. The opponent dominated possession of the ball, but it was Santa Clara who finished the most, created scoring chances and won with goals from Alisson Safira and Diogo Calila. Mafra's only shot that hit the goal in 90 minutes came in the hands of Gabriel Batista.
The team is the leader of the tournament and guarantees direct classification with 70 points in 33 rounds, with 20 wins, 10 draws and three defeats. With the results of the round, Nacional reached 68 and is also guaranteed in the first division. Remembering that the II Liga of Portugal has three access places, but the third-placed team will compete in a playoff with the 16th in the first division, the game will be between AVS and Portimonense if the current scenario remains.
In addition to the goalkeeper , defender Rafael Santos is another player revealed by Flamengo who gained access to Santa Clara. Now the fight between Garotos do Ninho and Santa Clara is for the title of the Portuguese second division. The team will play at home next Sunday (19th), with no set time yet, to face Leiria (12th). Nacional will also be the home team against Mafra, in a game that should take place simultaneously with the former Flamengo team. On his social networks, the athlete has already published photos celebrating access with his teammates in the locker room after the match.
The goalkeeper revealed by Flamengo shone during the dispute of the II Liga of Portugal and is one of the main responsible for the team has the best defense in the competition. Santa Clara conceded just 19 goals in 33 rounds of competition, an average of 0.57 per game, and has an advantage of six for the second best defense: Marítimo (27 goals conceded).
The Boy from the Nest was starter in all 33 of the team's matches in the competition and reached the mark of 16 goals without being missed this Sunday, 48% of the games. He became the team record holder for minutes without conceding goals in the tournament when he reached 500 minutes. By the end of the tournament he had increased to 1,440 minutes, which could become 1,530 in the last round.
This is the player's second season in Portuguese football. After eight years playing at Flamengo, where he was part of the victorious squad that won practically everything from 2019 to 2020, Gabriel Batista had a quick spell at Sampaio Corrêa, before completing his transfer to Santa Clara.
The club has a big difference in work
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The Sinergia Rubro-Negra Group (SRN), made up of influential partners from Flamengo, held a meeting last Saturday (7), at the club's headquarters, located in Gávea. The main objective of the meeting was to promote fraternization among the participants, but, inevitably, club politics ended up dominating the discussions throughout the event.
The main topic that emerged during the meeting was the support of the SRN to Rodrigo Dunshee's candidacy for president of Flamengo. Dunshee, who currently holds the position of general and legal vice-president of the club, is a prominent figure in the red-black political scene. The group, made up of members who share an aligned vision regarding the club's management, sees in Dunshee a name prepared to take over Flamengo's leadership, especially considering the upcoming electoral cycle.
During the event, members of the SRN highlighted Dunshee's role in the current administration, remembering that he was a fundamental player in several legal achievements of the Flamengo in recent years. The group believes that his experience and proximity to the club's internal processes make him the ideal candidate to succeed current president Rodolfo Landim, whose tenure ends at the end of his term.
Although the initial objective of the meeting was a celebration between the partners, it was inevitable that the conversations turned to Flamengo's political future. The club's presidential elections are approaching, and political groups are already beginning to articulate support and strategies. The SRN, being a strong group within the red-black political structure, has stood out for its organization and capacity to mobilize members.
Those present discussed, among other topics, the possible implications of a possible Dunshee's candidacy. His name has been circulating among members for some time, but now, with the explicit support of the SRN, his candidacy is gaining strength. The members highlighted that Dunshee is a name of continuity, someone who is already part of the current management and deeply knows the challenges and needs of the club. This, in the group's view, represents a positive point, as Dunshee could continue the projects started under the Landim administration.
The club has been in a race against time
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Flamengo continues to debate whether to look for a replacement for Pedro, a striker who is recovering from an injury. The decision is complex, involving several variables ranging from the financial cost to the availability of players on the market. One of the main points under discussion is the high cost of a possible replacement. The club is aware that signing a center forward may require a significant investment, something that needs to be carefully evaluated within the team's current budget.
In addition, Flamengofaces the challenge of downtime of players available on the market. Many of the center forwards who are free for transfer come from long periods without playing, with recent injuries or prolonged absence from the field. This situation represents a risk, as the integration of a player who is not in the rhythm of the game may take longer and be less effective initially.
The club is also considering the limited number of viable options on the market. The scarcity of attackers who meet the criteria required by Flamengo – both in terms of quality and physical readiness – is a factor that further complicates the search for a suitable replacement.
In this scenario, the management of Flamengo assesses whether signing a new player is the best solution or whether there are viable alternatives to deal with Pedro's absence, such as adjusting the tactical formation or promoting youth players. The final decision is still being studied, and the club needs to carefully consider all aspects before making a decision.
Garoto do Ninho conceded just 19 goals in 34 matches
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O creation of Ninho, Gabriel Batista, was champion of the Portuguese second division with Santa Clara. The team had already guaranteed access to the first division in advance this Sunday (19) and became champions by beating Leiria 2-0.
The goals in the match were scored by Pedro Ferreira and Bruno Almeida and Gabriel Batista were the team's starters. Santa Clara was in first place with 73 points, just two points ahead of Nacional da Madeira, who reached the last round still with a chance of winning the title.
BEST DEFENSE OF THE COMPETITION p>Santa Clara ended its time in the second division with the best defense. In 34 games with Gabriel Batista in goal, only 19 goals were conceded by the Portuguese team. The defensive sector was one of the team's pillars in the campaign.
In addition, in the final stretch, Santa Clara continued an undefeated streak to win the title. In the last five games, there were 4 wins and a draw, where the team also fought with Nacional Madeira, who won all of the last five games.
GABRIEL'S PASS TO FLAMENGOThe creation of Mais Querido was part of the 2019 champion squad. The archer was the 3rd reserve of the team led by Jorge Jesus and won the Libertadores and Brasileirão. The player was competing for position with another ex-Flamengo, Hugo Souza, from Chaves (POR).
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