MATCH AGAINST MILLONARIOS BREAKS AUDIENCE RECORD AMONG BRAZILIAN TEAMS AT LIBERTADORES IN 2024

Flamengo is experiencing instability behind the scenes. The football management led by Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, is facing criticism and questions, while the name of José Boto, hired at the beginning of the season as technical director, has been the center of recent tensions. In the midst of the storm, Marcos Braz, former vice president of football and an influential figure in the 2019 achievements, returned to the social media with a post that caused a stir among fans and behind the scenes at the club.

IS FLAMENGO HAVING A GOOD MOMENT?

The expression “ice in the blood”, immortalized by Braz during the magical year of 2019, has resurfaced. In a story published on his Instagram account, the former executive showed an image with the phrase, accompanied by an excerpt from the song “Deixe a Vida Rolar”, by singer Clovis Pê: “No problem, you’re welcome. Time tells everything. Do whatever you want. Without fear of the world.”

BRAZ IGNITES THE FANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The combination of the caption and the image did not go unnoticed by the fans, who saw it as a direct message to the current leadership of the red-black football team. Fans quickly reacted to the post. Many interpreted it as a veiled criticism of the way the football department has been run since Braz's departure. Others, however, recalled the poor results under his management in recent years, especially in 2023 and 2024, and treated the post as opportunism.

The target of the crisis is José Boto, a Portuguese who has played for clubs such as Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica. Since taking over at Flamengo in early 2024, the Portuguese director has found it difficult to apply his work philosophy at Ninho do Urubu . Behind-the-scenes reports indicate a friction with president Bap, especially after the veto of the signing of Irish striker Mikey Johnston, who was recommended by Boto.

The situation has raised red alerts within the club and could culminate in the professional's eventual departure. Sources close to the football department indicate that a meeting between the parties should take place in the next few days to discuss José Boto's future. The relationship between him and Bap has deteriorated over the last few weeks, and the veto on Johnston was just the last straw.

The issue divided opinions among fans and rekindled criticism of the board's stance, especially regarding the commitment to professionalism promised by Bap . On the one hand, some fans understood that the retreat was sensible. The internal evaluation, as determined, considered the player's minutes history, the intensity required by the Brazilian calendar and the playing style of the current squad. These factors, combined, indicated a high risk for a signing that would require immediacy.

IMPASSE GOT UGLY FOR THE PRESIDENT

However, the most critical wing of the fans sees the withdrawal as a sign of weakness. In their view, the board gave in to external pressure, contradicting the discourse of professionalism and technical autonomy that was one of the pillars of Bap's election. Amid the impasse, an old interview Bap gave to Flow Sport Club, given during the presidential campaign, gained prominence again.

The excerpt, which went viral on social media, features the director talking about the importance of scouts and criticizing the excessive weight of popular opinion. The most commented and shared statement was direct: “But we think that, because we watch 500 hours of football, we see and know more than the guys. We don’t.” The phrase summarizes the board’s point of view on how decisions should be made — with data, analysis and criteria, not based on popular clamor.

BAP HAS HIS TALKS REJECTED BY THE FANS

During the interview, Bap explained in detail how the scouting department works, revealing processes that go far beyond simply observing matches. They involve cross-referencing data, analyzing physical and psychological behavior, and adapting to the team's playing style. Without naming names, Bap said that Flamengo was considering signing a player, but that the analysts found that the player could only maintain intensity for two 30-minute blocks. After that period, he became slow and vulnerable — something that would make him unusable in high-demand games.

Although the president did not directly link this case to Mikey Johnston 's name, the explanation is interpreted by many as a well-founded justification for the recent decision. The club analyzed, considered and concluded that the signing did not fit the necessary profile. The director also highlighted the technological evolution in football, with software that compares performances and projects scenarios. For Bap, this allows the scout to see more than what the eyes capture in real life — and, therefore, they must have autonomy.

Flamengo has decided to go to court to collect a debt of R$587,354.00 from the company JJ Produções Eventos , responsible for organizing the match against Botafogo-PB, held on May 1st, for the third phase of the Copa do Brasil. In this sense, the company paid half of the amount to the red-black team.

THE AGREEMENT

The company had acquired home field advantage for the match, transferring the game to Maranhão , with the promise to cover all of Flamengo's logistical costs, including transportation, accommodation and other operational expenses.

The goal of the negotiation was to increase ticket sales, since the game, originally scheduled for João Pessoa (PB), was transferred to the Castelão Stadium in São Luís (MA). However, the agreement was not fully fulfilled. According to Flamengo , the club had spent R$887,000 on the match, but had only received R$300,000 in reimbursement so far. This left over half a million reais.

50% OF THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN PAID

Initially, R$293.5 thousand were deposited by JJ Produções into the red-black account in the last few hours. The information comes from journalist Venê Casagrande, from 'SBT Rio'. According to the journalist, the company guaranteed that it will pay the rest in the next few days.

However, Flamengo 's Legal Department has been following the case closely , as the issue has been ongoing since May and only received a positive response this Monday.