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

Pedro's injury was a hard blow for the team, not only because of the impact on performance on the field, but also because of what it means behind the scenes. With a deep and talented cast, Flamengo tends to maintain its competitive level even with absences, thanks to a full bench. However, Pedro's departure raises the question of how the club will fill this gap.

Rumors about possible international reinforcements began to circulate quickly, with names like Memphis Depay, Martial and Mariano Díaz gaining prominence in the press. However, Flamengo's board is taking a cautious approach. According to information from UOL, two main factors are guiding the club's strategy: the performance of the players already available and the budget situation.

Firstly, Flamengo is evaluating the ability of its current players to cover Pedro's absence. Among the possible replacements, Gabigol, Bruno Henrique and Carlinhos are mentioned as viable options. These players have a history of good performance and familiarity with the style of play Flamengo, which could facilitate adaptation and minimize the impact of Pedro's injury.

In addition, the club's financial situation is a crucial point in the decision. With more than R$329 million invested in recent signings, Flamengo has already committed a significant part of its budget. This amount is just a little below the R$360.9 million spent in 2019, when President Rodolfo Landim made large investments. The high financial burden of previous signings implies a more restrictive management of available resources.

Flamengo's board also faces difficulties in relation to the sale of players, which further impacts the budget. Negotiations for transfers of Wesley and Fabrício Bruno did not progress as expected, resulting in a lower than desired performance in player sales. This limits the club's ability to invest in new reinforcements, especially in a competitive market.

On Monday (2), a new commission was formed with the aim of discussing the implementation of Financial Fair Play in Brazil. The group is made up of clubs such as Flamengo and Palmeiras, who are looking for ways to adapt the rule to the particularities of national football. Leila Pereira, president of Palmeiras, was one of the strongest voices in the discussion. In a blunt statement, she called for more responsibility from club boards in financial management. Pereira highlighted that Financial Fair Play should not be seen just as a rule to be complied with, but as an essential tool to guarantee the sustainability of teams.

Financial Fair Play, created by UEFA, aims to control club spending and ensure that they do not spend more than they earn, promoting more balanced financial management. The idea is to prevent clubs from taking on excessive debt and guarantee a fairer level of competition between teams. The formation of the commission with Flamengo, Palmeiras and other clubs signals a significant step in the attempt to implement these rules more effectively in Brazil. The proposal is to discuss and adjust the rule so that it better fits the reality of Brazilian clubs, which face unique financial challenges.

The main objective of commission is to establish guidelines that help control club spending without harming growth and investment in football. The intention is to create a balance between the need for investment to improve the teams and the obligation to maintain the financial health of the clubs.

Leila Pereira, in her statement, made an appeal for club boards to be more responsible and transparent in their management. She highlighted that compliance with financial rules must be a priority for all clubs and that it is essential that everyone is committed to more responsible management.

Speculated as a possible reinforcement of Flamengo to fill the gap left by Pedro, striker Anthony Martial is free on the market, but has not played since December 9, 2023. On that occasion, Manchester United, his former club, entered the field to face Bournemouth and lost 3-0 in the Premier League. Martial was a starter and played for 56 minutes.

At the beginning of the year, the French striker suffered a groin injury that required surgery. Therefore, he was away for around 42 days, only returning in March. Even though there were three months left on his contract, Manchester United chose to let go of the player. Since then, Martial has been evaluating his next club and Flamengo is paying attention to his movements.