Soccer
28 Mai 2025 | 11:39 |
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Flamengo takes to the field this Wednesday (28), at 9:30 pm, at Maracanã, for a decisive duel against Deportivo Táchira, from Venezuela, in the last round of the group stage of the Libertadores. With full strength selected by Filipe Luís, Rubro-Negro is betting big on Pedro to guarantee qualification for the round of 16.
Second in Group C with 8 points, Flamengo needs to win and hope for a defeat by Central Córdoba to finish first. If they slip up, they risk elimination. The game is clear: win or lose — and for that, Pedro's presence becomes even more crucial. With 5 goals in the last 6 games, the number 9 is experiencing a period of technical and physical recovery, and is a key player in Flamengo's offensive planning for the final at Maracanã.
More than just a center forward, Pedro has been a support, finisher and also a playmaker in some phases of the game. Against Táchira, the expectation is that he will once again be the scorer that Flamengo needs so much. Alongside Arrascaeta and Gerson, the red-and-black attacking trio will be maintained. Filipe Luís kept the backbone of the team and bet on the team's main names in the team to work together and trust each other.
The lineup should have Rossi in goal; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas in defense; Allan, Gerson and Arrascaeta in midfield; and Luiz Araújo, Bruno Henrique and Pedro in attack. The formation should be the traditional 4-3-3, but with freedom for movement between Gerson and Arrascaeta. The stance adopted by Filipe throughout the preparation reinforces the idea that Flamengo will not hold back.
Despite the marathon of games, the group considers this duel to be an early final. The club does not want to repeat the mistakes of previous editions, when they dropped points along the way and faced tougher opponents in the round of 16. Internally, Pedro is seen as a player who thrives on decision-making. The coaching staff values his performance in big games and trust is high . In addition, the good understanding between him and Arrascaeta has returned more frequently in recent games, which increases the hope of goals in combined plays.
The Chilean club where the midfielder plays is looking for a new coach and the champion for Mengão is in the running to get the job.
06 Set 2025 | 22:00 |
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A Rio de Janeiro champion with Flamengo in 2017, coach Zé Ricardo may be close to returning to the South American stage. He's participating in a selection process to take over Colo-Colo in Chile, a team whose star midfielder Arturo Vidal, who won the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores with Flamengo in 2022, is among the highlights.
Zé Ricardo, ex-Flamengo, about Colo-Colo, by Arturo Vidal: "I participated in the first stage"
Without a club since leaving Criciúma, Zé Ricardo has already advanced to the first stage of the selection process: "I participated in the first stage, which was the presentation of my resume. Then there was a cut, and only five remained. I was invited to give a presentation , which I did, and now we await the next stage, which is the proposal. I'm happy, because it's not easy: in Chile, there's no tradition of Brazilian coaches," he told the Chilean newspaper As.
If the deal goes through, the Brazilian will replace Jorge Almirón, formerly of Boca Juniors, who was dismissed in August: "Just being at this stage is a great honor. I have my fingers crossed. I know it's a difficult choice, because Colo-Colo is a great and traditional club," added Zé Ricardo.
Zé Ricardo experienced his initial peak at Flamengo , where he won the 2017 Carioca Championship and led the team to third place in the 2016 Brasileirão , returning the club to the Copa Libertadores after three years. However, the early exit in the group stage of the continental tournament brought intense pressure, culminating in his departure.
Since then, the coach has had stints at Vasco, Botafogo, Internacional, Cruzeiro, and other mid-tier clubs, without recapturing his early brilliance . Now, Colo-Colo presents a chance to regain his place at a continental giant. Vidal's Chilean club is the only one in the country to win the Copa Libertadores, in 1991.
The coach has managed to get the Mengão player back to playing at a high level at Real Madrid and the Brazilian star defends his stance.
06 Set 2025 | 21:00 |
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2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo approved of how Xabi Alonso has handled his relationship with Vini Jr. at Real Madrid. In an interview with Betfair, the former player commented on the Spanish coach's decision to leave the Flamengo-born striker on the bench for the second round of La Liga against Real Oviedo .
Rivaldo on Xabi Alonso's action: "It was a strategy to get the best out of Vini Jr"
For Rivaldo, the decision wasn't a punishment, but rather a strategy to boost the number 7's performance: "I don't see it as a punishment. It was a strategy to get the best out of Vinícius . It's a way to make him grow even more ," the five-time world champion emphasized.
Alonso's gamble quickly paid off. In the 3-0 victory over Oviedo, Vini Jr. came on in the second half and made his mark. In the following round, he found the net again against Mallorca , confirming his strong start to the season.
Rivaldo also praised the arrival of the new Real Madrid manager and his relationship with the Brazilian: " Xabi is a great coach, but he was also a great player . He knows exactly what someone like Vinícius thinks and feels. Sometimes you have to make adjustments, even with the stars," he concluded.
After ending last season below expectations, Vini Jr. started this season on a high note. In three La Liga rounds, he has two goals and one assist, contributing to half of Real Madrid's goals. Without being called up for the FIFA international break , the striker remained in Spain and remains focused on the rest of the season. The Merengues' next match will be on September 13th, against Real Sociedad, away from home, in the fourth round of the Spanish Championship.
Juan Sebástian Verón, idol and current president of the La Plata club, which faces Mengão in the Libertadores, does not forgive the entity's decision
06 Set 2025 | 20:00 |
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Flamengo already knows its next opponent in the Copa Libertadores : Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG), in the quarterfinals. Even before the ball kicked off, the president of the Argentine club and idol Juan Sebastián Verón took to social media to criticize CONMEBOL, following Independiente's exclusion from the Copa Sudamericana.
Estudiantes president Verón on Conmebol: "They chose the easiest option"
"They chose the easy option. It's very difficult to understand how they came to this decision ... and I don't condone any kind of violence, but this is all very unfair," criticized the president of Estudiantes de La Plata .
The punishment came after Independiente fans got into a fight with Universidad de Chile supporters. They invaded the visiting team's section, stole banners , threw bombs, and set fire to objects.
Given the seriousness of the case, Conmebol decided to exclude the club from the competition and apply a fine of 250 thousand dollars (approximately R$ 1.3 million) , in addition to a punishment of seven games within Conmebol with closed doors, in addition to another seven as a visitor without the right to fans.
In the quarterfinals, Flamengo and Estudiantes will face off in two decisive matches . The first will be on September 18th at the Maracanã Stadium. The second leg is scheduled for the 25th at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium in La Plata.
Quarterfinal matches
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