SAMPAOLI PRAISES FLAMENGO'S PERFORMANCE: "GOOD PRESSURE"

Flamengo will have a series of important absences for the match against Santos , this Wednesday (16), at 8 pm (Brasília time), at Vila Belmiro, for the 17th round of the Brazilian Championship . The list of related players, released on Tuesday night (15), confirms the absence of key players, which should directly impact the performance of the team led by Filipe Luís.

Striker Pedro , one of the main names in the squad, will be out for the second consecutive match. The number 9 was not included in the previous game against São Paulo, last Saturday (12), which generated controversy after statements by coach Filipe Luís, who criticized the athlete's behavior in training. According to the coach, Pedro's behavior was "ridiculous", which would justify his exclusion.

INJURIES AFFECT RUBRO-NEGRO'S DEFENSE AND MIDFIELD

In addition to Pedro, Flamengo will be without full-backs Alex Sandro and Ayrton Lucas. Both are undergoing treatment in the club's medical department. Alex Sandro is treating a hamstring injury in his left thigh, while Ayrton Lucas is still recovering from the knock he suffered in the match against São Paulo.

Midfielder Erick is also out. He is in Chile, completing his recovery from surgery on the fifth metatarsal of his right foot , and will undergo a final examination with the attending physician before returning to Brazil. Another key player who will be out is striker Michael . With pain in his left ankle, he will remain in Rio de Janeiro for intensive treatment with the club's medical team.

RETURNS AND SEARCH FOR REHABILITATION IN VILA BELMIRO

The only good news for Flamengo is the return of young striker Matheus Gonçalves, who is once again an attacking option. With 27 points, the Rio de Janeiro club shares the Brasileirão lead with Cruzeiro, but needs a good result against Santos to secure a spot at the top.

Flamengo faces Santos this Wednesday (16), at 8 pm, at Vila Belmiro, for the 14th round of the Brasileirão Betano. Rubro-Negro leads the competition with 27 points, the same number as Cruzeiro, but with an advantage in goal difference. The Rio de Janeiro team seeks to maintain the lead and extend its winning streak.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has appointed Minas Gerais referee Felipe Fernandes de Lima to officiate the match between Santos and Flamengo. This will be Felipe's seventh match in the 2025 Brasileirão Betano, his third for Santos and his first for Flamengo in the competition.

FLAMENGO HOLDS POSITIVE MOMENTUM

Felipe Fernandes de Lima refereed two Flamengo matches in the 2021 Brasileirão, both of which resulted in Flamengo victories: 5-1 against São Paulo and 3-0 against Fortaleza. The record is favorable to Flamengo, who have never lost under the referee.

Felipe Fernandes de Lima has been embroiled in controversy both on and off the field. In 2023, videos showed his ex-wife kissing Sérgio Santos Rodrigues, former president of Cruzeiro, which generated widespread attention. On the field, he was criticized for his performance in matches such as Internacional vs. Athletico-PR and Atlético-MG vs. Cruzeiro, both in 2024.

A PRODUCTIVE GAME FOR ARBITRATION

With Flamengo 's favorable track record under Felipe Fernandes de Lima and the recent controversies involving the referee, the match promises to be tense. Santos, which has already expressed dissatisfaction with previous decisions, will be watching every play. Flamengo aims to maintain its lead and extend its lead in the championship.

The Pedro and Filipe Luís case continues to generate controversy . Former Flamengo player Alecsandro appeared on the Panela SporTV program and expressed a strong opinion on the recent controversy involving the number 9 and the coach of the "Mais Querido" (Flamengo). The former athlete defended the striker and condemned the extensive use of technologies, such as GPS, to assess performance.

Alecsandro recalled his experience in the final stages of his career, when physical data often indicated he was the lowest on the team in sprints, speed, and movement. However, he emphasized that his role on the field as a center forward was much more specific and could not be evaluated in the same way as other players.

Alecsandro criticizes Filipe Luís: "I had a coach who didn't talk to the athlete and put the guy to play."

He continued: "Because the guy was performing well and had to play. On the other hand, when Filipe talks about the last in the physical part, the last in I don't know what... brother, Pedro is there to score goals. At the end of my career, I got this modern football with GPS. And I was always the last."

NUMBERS EVALUATIONS DO NOT CONSIDERS THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF PLAYERS

According to Alecsandro, the statistics used in soccer and training don't consider the true responsibilities and roles of each player on the field: "But I'd tell the guys: 'I'm going to score the goal and it'll end 2-1, 1-0, with a goal by me.' But I couldn't run faster than Marcos Rocha or Dudu. I was the last in my physical abilities," he said before adding:

But within the limits of my speed, I was good. So, from my perspective, he exaggerated a lot of what Filipe demanded. Pedro is a player who works in a specific area of the field, running 9 or 10 km, while a defensive midfielder runs 20 ," the former Flamengo player noted.

PEDRO STILL IS OUT OF THE RELATED LIST

Thus, despite Alecsandro's criticism, coach Filipe Luís kept Pedro out of the list of players involved in the match against Santos, this Wednesday (16). Flamengo faces the São Paulo team at Vila Belmiro, at 8 pm, for the 14th round of the Brasileirão.