Soccer
Flamengo should have reinforcements for the clash with Estudiantes in the Libertadores
16 Set 2025 | 15:04
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Soccer
17 Mai 2024 | 10:04 |
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Leaked photo of Gabigol wearing the Corinthians shirt surprised and disappointed Flamengo fans on Thursday night (16), but the case is not unprecedented at the club. In 2015, image from striker Paulinho wearing the São Paulo team's uniform caused outrage, led to punishment and the athlete left the team eight days after the incident.
Remember the case
Highlight of the 2013 Copa do Brasil title, Paulinho ended 2015 down and on the bench. Outside the plans of coach Muricy Ramalho, who signed an agreement to take over the team in the following season, the player himself admitted talks to defend Corinthians shortly after going on vacation. However, a photo that was leaked on the networks days later caused a very bad reaction among the fans and the red-black board.
The striker posed smiling wearing the São Paulo team's shirt and allegedly sent the photo to a friend, who published it on the social networks. However, the story was not enough to escape punishment for disrespecting Fla's image. Executive director at the time, Rodrigo Caetano confirmed that he punished the athlete.
“In the club's understanding, as stated in the contract, it has to preserve the club's image and sponsors. It was a personal social network, and what Flamengo had to do, it already did”, he said, before stating that he had received “absolutely nothing” from Corinthians.
The photo went viral on social media that day. December 18, 2015, and Paulinho left the club on December 26th. He ended up not going to Corinthians, who even denied interest, and accepted an offer to play for Santos from 2016 onwards, where he would be Gabigol's teammate. Flamengo received R$300,000 on loan.
It is worth noting that the striker was already out of the plans and would probably leave the club anyway. But the ease and speed with which Flamengo released the player caught attention.
Gabigol with the Corinthians shirt
Gabigol's image logically had a much greater impact on the fans Flamengo than Paulinho. After all, the striker is the name of the generation and the attitude was considered an act of disrespect not only towards the club, but also towards the fans who idolize him. The player's advisor claims that the photo is fake.
Meeting between president Rodolfo Landim, Marcos Braz and Bruno Spindel will take place this Friday (17) to define the attacker's punishment. He must be heard as he claims to be a fake image. Information from the “ge” portal, on the other hand, states that club employees who appear in the photo confirmed its veracity.
Remember that Gabriel was linked to negotiations with Corinthians by the team president, but his agent denied it. Confirmation of the case will make an already unlikely renewal even further away. However, if he was supported by the fans even in a bad phase and after suspension for attempted doping fraud, he is on his way to leaving Flamengo through the back door.
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Mengão faces the Argentine team with important absences that could impact the team's lineup and strategy at Maracanã this Thursday (18)
16 Set 2025 | 15:49 |
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Flamengo will have significant absences in this Thursday's (17) clash, at 9:30 pm, against Estudiantes, at Maracanã, for the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores . Among the big names that will be left out are midfielder Jorginho, full-back Alex Sandro and midfielder Pulgar.
Jorginho will miss the match against Argentina due to muscle swelling in his left thigh . Alex Sandro continues to recover from a left calf injury, while Pulgar is in the final stages of treatment after surgery on his right foot and will still require at least two weeks of physical therapy before returning to the squad.
With these absences, the coach will have to assemble a team with alternatives for midfield and left back. The likely starting lineup includes: Rossi; Royal (Varela), Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas (Viña); Saúl, De La Cruz (Allan), Arrascaeta; Plata, Samuel Lino, and Pedro.
The absences could influence Flamengo 's game strategy, as they seek to advance to the Copa Libertadores semifinals. The return leg will be next week in La Plata, Argentina, against Estudiantes.
Striker Bruno Henrique and full-back Varela are the main names expected to return to the team after being absent last Sunday (14), against Juventude, for the Brazilian Championship. Both trained normally with the team this Tuesday (16).
Mengão has been frequently loaning players to national teams due to its star-studded squad, and the club must pay a sum for the athletes.
16 Set 2025 | 15:39 |
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Created to reward clubs that contributed players to the World Cup, FIFA's Club Benefits Program has been expanded. From now on, teams that have players called up for the qualifiers , such as Flamengo, will also receive financial compensation .
The announcement was made by the organization itself, which confirmed the distribution of more than R$1.8 billion to clubs that release players to national teams . This amount represents an increase of almost 70% compared to the last edition of the program, implemented during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Until now, the benefit was restricted to clubs that had players called up for the World Cup. With this change, FIFA aims to be more inclusive and reach a wider range of teams: "The new edition of the FIFA Club Benefits Program for the 2026 World Cup will go a step further and recognize, in economic terms, the immense contribution made by clubs and players from around the world to the celebration of the preliminary and final stages of the tournament," said Gianni Infantino, president of the organization.
For the 2022 World Cup, the amount distributed was US$209 million (approximately R$1.1 billion at the current exchange rate). For the 2026 edition, the amount will rise to US$355 million , which represents approximately R$700 million more. In the last edition, 440 clubs from 51 different federations were included.
The increased financial contribution was directly supported by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, owner of PSG and president of the European Club Association (ECA) . He led negotiations that resulted in the program's expansion. Despite the initial focus on benefiting European clubs, the measure will have a global reach. After the announcement, Al-Khelaïfi celebrated the progress:
"More clubs around the world will receive a reward for releasing their players. Clubs play a fundamental role in the success of international football , and this initiative recognizes all aspects of that role, from developing younger players to releasing them to play in more important matches," he declared.
Analyst says that stadium renovations and elitism with excessive ticket price increases have eliminated the hostile atmosphere at Mengão.
16 Set 2025 | 15:14 |
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ESPN journalist André Galindo sparked debate by analyzing the current atmosphere at Maracanã , especially during Flamengo games . According to the commentator, the stadium has lost some of the intimidating atmosphere that characterized previous eras.
André Galindo, from ESPN: "At the old Maracanã, Flamengo was scary, but not anymore"
According to Galindo, the new Maracanã no longer commands the same respect from opponents as the old one. He recalled that, in the past, the pressure from the red-and-black fans made a difference on the field, something that seems to have weakened today.
" Flamengo at the New Maracanã is 'my house, your house.' There's no hostile atmosphere. At the old Maracanã, Flamengo was scary, but not anymore. The only stadium in Rio that can have a hostile atmosphere is São Januário . Other than that, no one can," he declared.
The journalist also criticized the lack of synchronicity among organized fan groups. In his view, the lack of unity harms the atmosphere in the stands , previously considered one of the strongest in South America.
"Flamengo doesn't scare anyone in the stadium these days. The fans don't sing, the organized fans don't sing together; it's disorganized . At the old Maracanã, yes, the old Flamengo fans were scary, but nowadays they don't scare anyone," he added.
In the analysis, however, Galindo did not take into account important points: Flamengo remains alongside Mirassol as the only undefeated team at home in the 2025 Brasileirão. After the duel against São Paulo in the Brasileirão, the tricolor's coach, Hernán Crespo, even gave 'thanks to God' that he would not face Mais Querido again at Maracanã .
Despite the criticism, Maracanã will be the stage for another decision. Next Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), Flamengo hosts Estudiantes (ARG) for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals.
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