FOR A FRIENDLY MATCH AGAINST MEXICO, DORIVAL TEST 3 EX-FLAMENGO IN BRAZIL SQUAD

Flamengo made the arrival of striker Samuel Lino official this Friday (1st) . The athlete, who belonged to Atlético de Madrid, already had his first opportunity on the field last Thursday (31) , in front of the red-black fans, during the match against Atlético-MG. Despite the 1-0 defeat, the player showed personality and revealed a conversation with coach Filipe Luís.

— I had a conversation with Filipe, he showed me the game model and also showed me that within this game model that Flamengo plays , I had already been doing some things at Atlético de Madrid (ESP), which is being open, asking for the ball behind, giving that depth to the team —, said the striker.

SAMUEL LINO HIGHLIGHTS EASE OF ADAPTATION

Understanding the tactical system was essential for Samuel Lino's confidence at the beginning of his career at the club. In an interview, he expressed optimism about his adaptation and promised to do everything the club's manager asked of him.

"And when I saw it, I thought, 'That's great,' because this way I'll be more relaxed and I can quickly adapt to the style of play he demands. And after that conversation, I understood what he wants and I'm going to try to put it into practice in the games," said Flamengo 's number 16.

FLAMENGO PREPARES TO FACE CEARÁ

After the setback against Atlético-MG, Flamengo turns its attention to the Brazilian Championship . On Sunday (03), the team faces Ceará at Castelão, at 6:30 pm, for the 18th round. With Samuel Lino already available, the expectation is that the player will gain more minutes and can effectively contribute to the team's performance away from home.

A regular starter in recent years, Léo Pereira is now one of the leaders of Flamengo's squad. After Gerson's departure, the defender gained even more prestige behind the scenes and became part of the team's captaincy . However, the number 4 carries an unsettling coincidence: in four of the six defeats suffered under Filipe Luís, individual errors by the defender played a decisive role .

The most recent episode took place last Thursday (31), when Flamengo was defeated 1-0 by Atlético-MG, at Maracanã, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. In the 20th minute of the second half, Léo Pereira received the ball from Rossi and, under pressure, tried a short pass to Léo Ortiz , but Cuello intercepted and scored the winning goal for Atlético.

OTHER MISTAKES THAT RESULTED IN DEFEATS

Before that, Léo Pereira had already starred in decisive plays in other matches with bitter endings for Rubro-Negro:

• 10/17/2024 – Flamengo 0x2 Fluminense (Brasileirão): In the first half of the classic, with the score still zero, the defender committed a penalty on Marquinhos, confirmed with the help of VAR. Ganso took the shot, Rossi saved, but Arias and Lima secured the victory for Tricolor in the final stage.
• April 9, 2025 – Central Córdoba 2-1 Flamengo (Libertadores): Flamengo pressed forward, but in the 19th minute of the first half, Léo Pereira handled the ball in the box. The penalty, again awarded with the help of VAR, was converted by Heredia and paved the way for defeat in Argentina.
• 04/05/2025 – Cruzeiro 2x1 Flamengo (Brasileirão): The Rubro-Negro were tied until stoppage time, when Léo Pereira tried to clear the ball from the area and ended up hitting Eduardo, who had just entered. The referee signaled a penalty, converted by Gabigol on the rebound after Rossi saved it.

GAMES WITH DEFENSES WITHOUT DEFENDER MISTAKES

The only defeats under Filipe Luís's command in which Léo Pereira did not have direct participation in crucial errors were:

• 06/29/2025 – Flamengo 2x4 Bayern Munich (Club World Cup)
• 16/07/2025 – Flamengo 0x1 Santos (Brazilian Championship)
• In the latter, Neymar scored the winning goal for Santos.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Despite a series of decisive errors, Léo Pereira remains an important player in the squad . He will be available for the match against Ceará, this Sunday (03), for the 18th round of the Brasileirão. The match takes place at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Castelão, with live broadcast on Premiere.

On Thursday night (01), Flamengo was defeated 1-0 by Atlético-MG , at Maracanã, in a match valid for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The result puts Flamengo in a challenging situation for the return match. After the match, coach Filipe Luís analyzed the team's offensive performance and pointed to the opponent's defensive quality as one of the main factors in the defeat.

During a press conference, Filipe Luís acknowledged that Flamengo created more chances than in the last game, but struggled against the opposition's strong marking. " We had a lot of scoring chances today, in my opinion . Much more than in the last game. We had shots that hit the post, Lino's chance, and a goal that was offside," he stated.

MERITS OF ATLÉTICO-MG?

According to the coach, Atlético-MG's defensive system is well-structured and hinders offensive fluidity. "You can look at the statistics to see how often Cuca's teams are thrashed. It's because they're a team that defends well, and their game model relies heavily on this defensive phase," he added.

Filipe Luís believes in change at Flamengo: "They have the solutions"

Despite the loss, Flamengo remains in contention and is confident in the strength of its squad to turn things around. Coach Filipe Luís expressed confidence, stating that performance can improve. " There will be other games that won't be like this , and others that will. They have solutions, and there will be days when they're less stressed, like today," he concluded.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Before the decisive duel for the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo has a scheduled commitment for the Brazilian Championship. On Sunday (03), the team faces Ceará, at 6:30 pm, at Arena Castelão , for the 18th round of the national competition. The match will be broadcast live on the Premiere channel and may represent an opportunity for tactical adjustments aiming at the confrontation with Galo.