Ramon Abatti Abel reports in the summary that balls were purposely deflated in a game between Corinthians and Flamengo

Flamengo received an unusual visit on Friday morning (25). A delegation from the New England Patriots, a historic NFL franchise, visited the Rio de Janeiro club's training center, Ninho do Urubu, to see the facilities and strengthen ties with defender Léo Ortiz, a self-confessed fan of the Massachusetts team.

ORTIZ MEETS HIS FAVORITE TEAM AGAIN

The defender of the Mais Querido has a long-standing relationship with the North American team. During his most recent vacation, Ortiz was in the United States, where he watched a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium. On that occasion, he presented Robert Kraft, owner of the franchise, with a personalized Flamengo jersey, sealing a connection that went beyond sports.

ACTION WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN FRANCHISE

According to journalist Bruno Braz, from the "UOL" website, the visit this Friday was a way for the NFL team to thank Ortiz for his gesture. Representatives from the Patriots' institutional sector, accompanied by the official mascot and a film crew, participated in the meeting. The Rio de Janeiro club's Communications and Marketing department was also involved in the production of exclusive content.

During the morning, visitors walked around the CT facilities, talked to the player and recorded the action with images for future activations on social media . The movement aroused the curiosity of the club's employees and athletes, who closely followed the meeting between the red-and-black defender and the NFL representatives.

In addition to the visit to CT do Mengão , the Patriots' presence is connected to a larger project. The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, revealed that Maracanã should host an NFL match in 2026 , strengthening the definitive entry of the North American league into the Brazilian market, which is growing rapidly.

Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (27), at 4 pm, at Maracanã, with a clear objective: to regain the lead in the Brazilian Championship. To do so, they need to beat Corinthians, an opponent against which the Rio de Janeiro team has built a favorable record over the last decade . Since 2015, the clubs have faced each other 30 times, with the red-black team having the advantage in victories, goals and performance.

In total, the Mais Querido won 14 matches, drew seven and lost nine in this period, representing a 54% success rate. The Rubro-Negro also stands out for its defensive solidity: it only conceded 25 goals in the 30 matches . This makes Corinthians the São Paulo club that has scored the fewest goals against Flamengo in the last 10 years.

SAFE DEFENSE AGAINST RIVALS FROM SÃO PAULO

Compared to other major clubs in São Paulo, Corinthians has a lower offensive performance against the Rubro-Negro. Palmeiras, for example, scored 28 goals in the period, while São Paulo scored 31. Santos, despite having the same number of goals as Corinthians, has played fewer times against Flamengo, which raises its average.

These numbers reinforce the good defensive work that Mengão has been doing against great opponents, especially in decisive matches. This consistency will once again be put to the test this weekend, in a duel that could put the Rio de Janeiro team back at the top of the table.

LEADERSHIP DEPENDS ON VICTORY AND COMBINATION OF RESULTS

With 11 points so far, the team led by Filipe Luís enters the round with a real chance of taking the lead in the Brasileirão. To do so, they need to beat Corinthians and hope that Palmeiras stumbles. If both teams tie in number of points, the Mais Querido will have the advantage in the tiebreaker criteria.

During the match against LDU for the Copa Libertadores, coach Filipe Luís chose to rest Léo Pereira after an intense sequence of games. The absence of the starter made room for another good performance by Danilo, who took advantage of the opportunity and is now directly competing for a spot in the red-black defense. With the return to the Brasileirão, the defender will be available for the match between Flamengo and Corinthians , this Sunday (27), at 4 pm, at Maracanã.

In a recent press conference, Danilo commented on the possibility of Flamengo adopting a formation with three defenders — something considered by Filipe Luís. The defender showed enthusiasm for the idea and made a point of highlighting the quality of the players who make up the defensive sector.

I think I'll play even better..."

“ I haven’t spoken to Filipe about it. But if he decides to use three defenders, I think I’ll play even better. Jokes aside, Flamengo has defenders of an important level today,” he said.

COMPETITIVENESS BETWEEN DEFENDERS

In addition to showing confidence in the new scheme, Danilo also valued the technical evolution of his teammates and the healthy competition between defenders. The player praised the performance of names like Léo Pereira and Léo Ortiz, emphasizing the importance of internal competition for positions for the group's growth.

“ The fight is cool, I'm prepared to be able to fight with them day after day. But this only makes Flamengo and the squad bigger. They are two guys that I have great admiration for,” he concluded.

FLAMENGO X CORINTHIANS

With Danilo available and Léo Pereira returning from injury, Rubro-Negro has solid options for the defense in the match against Corinthians. The game is valid for the sixth round of the Brazilian Championship, and the victory could be crucial for the Rio de Janeiro club to regain the lead in the competition. The ball starts rolling at 4 pm, at Maracanã, with expectations of a full house.