Saúl admits to falling, but praises Flamengo and Filipe Luís on Spanish radio

Flamengo was defeated 1-0 by Atlético-MG , last Thursday (31), at Maracanã, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The defeat put Rubro-Negro at a disadvantage in the knockout clash, and the answer came quickly: no rest for the squad, which returned this Friday (01), at Ninho do Urubu .

According to the club's schedule, the activity begins at 3:30 p.m. (Brasília time), with coach Filipe Luís beginning the team's preparations for the next match in the Brazilian Championship . Before training, however, Flamengo will officially introduce Samuel Lino, scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

With little time until the weekend game, the squad will have just two days of training dedicated exclusively to the next round of the Brasileirão . The opponent will be Ceará, who host Flamengo on Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm, at Arena Castelão.

HOW WAS THE DEFEAT IN THE BRAZIL CUP?

The decisive goal at Maracanã came 20 minutes into the second half. Rossi, attempting a short ball out, passed to Léo Pereira, who kept the play close to the box despite Atlético-MG's pressure . The defender attempted a pass to Léo Ortiz, but ended up handing it to Cuello, who capitalized on the error and scored the winning goal for the visitors.

FLAMENGO'S SITUATION IN THE BRAZIL CUP

With the negative result, Flamengo will need to beat Atlético-MG by at least two goals in the return game , scheduled for next Wednesday (06), at 7 pm, at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte. A victory by one goal takes the decision to penalties.

NEXT CHALLENGE IS FOR THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Before the decisive clash for the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo returns to the field on Sunday (03), for the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship. The team faces Ceará, away from home, in a duel scheduled for 6:30 pm (Brasília time) , with live broadcast on Premiere.

With little time left before he is officially presented as Flamengo's reinforcement for the rest of the season, midfielder Jorge Carrascal arrives at the club having played for some of the biggest clubs in world football and a physical history that deserves attention — especially given the problems he faced at the beginning of his career.

HISTORY OF INJURIES

The Colombian has faced several injuries over the years, although he has recently become more consistent. The most serious episode occurred in the 2016/17 season, when he suffered a torn meniscus during stints with Sevilla Atlético (the Spanish club's B team) and Karpaty Lviv in Ukraine. During that time, Carrascal was sidelined for 315 days and missed 40 official matches —a significant milestone in his professional career.

In subsequent years, injuries became less frequent and had a lesser impact. In the 2022/23 season, now playing for CSKA Moscow , the player had two absences: a foot injury that sidelined him for two matches and another unspecified injury in May that kept him out of the field for nine days. In total, he missed three games that season.

The concern returned the following season, 2023/24, when a knee injury sidelined him for 43 days , causing him to miss eight matches for the Russian club. Since then, Carrascal has not suffered any further injuries and has been healthy ever since.

HEALTH ON THE RISE

In total, Carrascal has missed 51 games due to injury throughout his career —most of them still in his early stages. In recent years, despite some occasional issues, the Colombian has demonstrated good recovery and has not experienced any recurrence of chronic injuries.

Upon his arrival, Flamengo began a detailed physical monitoring program to ensure the midfielder is fully capable of contributing technically . The coaching staff believes that, in an organized environment with controlled physical activity, Carrascal can perform consistently at a high level, minimizing risks.

Samuel Lino's debut with the Flamengo shirt was not a victory , but the striker left a good impression . He came on in the second half of the match against Atlético-MG, this Thursday (31), at Maracanã, for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. Despite the 1-0 defeat, the number 17 showed confidence for the return match and spoke about the experience of playing in Brazilian football as a professional for the first time.

Samuel Lino on his debut at Flamengo: "I felt really good"

"I felt great. At first, I was a little confused; it's all new to me . I'd never played professionally in Brazil. But little by little, I adapted, feeling better and more comfortable on the field. Physically, I'm fine," said Lino.

Despite the setback, the debutant assured that the group remains focused on the decisive match: "We didn't get the win today, but the 1-0 score doesn't change our mentality. We're going to Belo Horizonte to seek qualification . Of course, it would have been special to debut with a goal, maybe even an equalizer, but unfortunately it didn't happen. Maybe in the next game. I'll work towards that," he added.

WHAT DID SAMUEL LINO DO IN HIS DEBUT?

Samuel Lino came on in the 15th minute of the second half, replacing Matheus Gonçalves, and brought new momentum to the red-and-black attack. With his speed and skill, he caused problems for Atlético's defense . In the 36th minute, he crossed to Emerson Royal, who hit the post. In stoppage time, he managed to score a goal, but the referee ruled him offside.

WHEN IS THE RETURN BETWEEN FLAMENGO AND ATLÉTICO-MG?

Flamengo will have the mission of reversing the disadvantage next Wednesday (06), at 7 pm (Brasília time), at Arena MRV. Before that, the team led by Filipe Luís visits Ceará on Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm, at Arena Castelão, for the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship.