"We want to be a Flamengo," Corinthians director surprises with statement

One day after making his debut for Flamengo in the match against Atlético-MG , valid for the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil, Samuel Lino was officially presented at Ninho do Urubu this Friday (1st). The striker celebrated his return to the Rio de Janeiro club and revealed the main reasons that led him to choose Rubro-Negro , even in the face of attractive proposals from European and Arab football.

"It's true that I had very interesting offers from Europe, financially sound offers from Saudi Arabia. But when Flamengo came along with a good offer too, I thought: it's a huge club, a club I've played for and that's always competing for titles , in the top spots, with many players on the Brazilian national team," the player declared.

IDENTIFICATION WITH THE CLUB AND BRAZILIAN ROUTINE

The player emphasized that, in addition to the club's importance, other factors, such as being closer to his family and the Brazilian cultural environment, influenced his decision. The striker emphasized the importance of reconnecting with elements of his daily life , such as the language and local cuisine, strengthening his emotional bond with the country and the club.

Samuel Lino reveals his choice for Flamengo: "That attracted me much more"

" That attracted me much more than the projects I was offered in Europe and other countries. When you're at a huge club and also close to my family, speaking my language, eating Brazilian food. Everything counted a lot for me to be here today at Flamengo," added the number 16.

DEBUT WITH GOOD PERFORMANCE EXCITES THE FANS

Samuel Lino entered the field 13 minutes into the second half in place of Matheus Gonçalves. Despite his limited playing time, Mengão's new signing was one of the team's standout players , creating good attacking chances. He even found the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Still, his performance was positive and excited the coaching staff and fans.

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.