Missing Flamengo? Zenit defender updates Gerson's situation in Russia

Left-back Alex Sandro is expected to return to action on September 18, when Flamengo faces Estudiantes, from Argentina, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, at Maracanã, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time).

According to information from SBT Rio journalist Venê Casagrande, the player is being prepared by the medical department to be available for Filipe Luís. Besides him, the coach also has Ayrton Lucas and Matías Viña as options for the position.

DETAILS OF THE INJURY SUFFERED

In Flamengo 's 8-0 rout of Vitória, Alex Sandro had to be substituted in the 24th minute of the first half after experiencing pain in his left calf . Uruguayan Viña came on in his place and completed the match.

In an official statement, the club explained the situation: " Athlete Alex Sandro, substituted in the first half of the match against Vitória, underwent an MRI scan . The results revealed a muscle injury in his left calf. The player has already begun treatment under the supervision of Flamengo's medical department," the team reported.

INJURY ALSO PREVENTED CALL-UP

The severity of the injury also forced Alex Sandro out of Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the Brazilian national team. In the full-back's absence, Brazil defeated Chile 3-0 and now prepares to face Bolivia at altitude in the next round.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has selected five athletes from the youth ranks of Rio de Janeiro clubs to participate in the Brazilian national team's training session in Teresópolis. Among those selected is Léo Nanneti, Flamengo's goalkeeper, who shone in the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup victory over Barcelona.

During a press conference, four-time world champion and current goalkeeping coach for the Brazilian national team, Taffarel , made a point of joking and praising the young Flamengo player. " I didn't like him. I didn't like him because in the first training session he asked me to put gloves on him (laughs) ," he said before concluding.

" You know those gloves that are really tight? You can put one on and you can't put the other on. He said, 'Professor, can you put the glove on with me?' I said, 'Get out of here now' (laughs). I'm a coach, I'm not a glove fitter," he said in a relaxed tone.

ADMIRATION OF TAFAREL BY YOUNG MAN

Tafarel then revealed his admiration for the youngster: " He's a really cool kid. I didn't even realize he was the goalkeeper in that final (of the U-20 World Cup). I was really happy he came here with us; he has great potential. I liked him, especially because he's an 18-year-old kid, but he already has a real professional attitude. I'm sure he'll bring a lot of joy to Flamengo," he concluded.

RED-BLACK PROMISE

Léo Nanneti, who came through Flamengo 's youth ranks since the U-9s, is considered one of the club's brightest prospects. A key player in the U-20 World Cup final, the goalkeeper saved two penalty kicks against Barcelona , securing the title for Mengão.

Santos officially presented, this Friday (5), midfielder Victor Hugo , 21 years old. The athlete, on loan from Flamengo until mid-2026, will wear the number 29 shirt and was received by idol Clodoaldo during the press conference . The “Cria do Ninho” highlighted that Neymar's message was decisive in his decision to play for the São Paulo club.

"They really had other options. From the moment Neymar sends a message, it makes a difference," the midfielder stated. He also revealed his admiration for the star: " Neymar was the one who made me fall in love with football when I was younger . I've always followed him closely. He's an idol to me. That really had an impact."

EXPERIENCE IN Türkiye

The athlete emphasized that his recent stint with Göztepe in Turkey helped improve his defensive performance. However, his desire now is to regain the attacking characteristics that marked his youth development. " In the youth academy, I was always number 10. [...] I have the ability to get forward to score goals. That's something I want to recover, to get forward more, to score more goals, " he projected.

FLAMENGO'S PROMISE

Victor Hugo is considered one of the most promising young players in the Mais Querido youth academy in recent years. Promoted to the main squad in 2022, he participated in the Copa do Brasil and Libertadores victories that year. However, he lost his place under Tite and ended up on loan. Now, at Santos, the youngster hopes to regain prominence and take a new step in his career.

Upon his return, he nearly agreed to a move to Famalicão-POR. The deal fell through, and the player even received a few minutes under Filipe Luís. However, he didn't win over the coaching staff and was underused.