Did you feel it? Flamengo midfielder, Erick Pulgar stays in Santiago and misses the Chilean team against Argentina

In the last round of the Libertadores group stage, Flamengo, now under the command of coach Tite, saw its long undefeated streak as home team come to an end. The 1-0 defeat marked the end of a run of 28 matches without losing at home in the competition. The negative result was a shock for the fans, mainly because it occurred at a crucial moment in the season and because of the expectations surrounding the team led by a renowned coach like Tite.

The last time Flamengo had been defeated at Maracanã by the Libertadores was in April 2019, when Peñarol beat the red-black team by the same score of 1-0. The current setback, therefore, brought back memories of that game, creating a feeling of déjà vu among fans . It is worth remembering that, at that time, Flamengo was in a moment of transition and seeking to consolidate itself as one of the powers of South American football.

With the arrival of Tite at the helm of Flamengo, the expectation was that the team would gain tactical consistency and competitiveness in important tournaments, such as the Libertadores itself. Tite, who has a respected CV, mainly for his work in the Brazilian national team, was hired with the mission of making Flamengo become dominant again both on the national and international scene.

The defeat at home, however , served as a cold water for part of the fans who expected a quiet victory. Their unbeaten record at home was seen as one of Flamengo's trump cards in continental competition, a guarantee of strength within their domains. By losing this status, the team will now need to deal with the pressure and doubts that arise from this result.

After the 1-0 defeat to Peñarol, in the first game of the Libertadores quarter-finals, coach Tite held a press conference at Maracanã. The team did not perform well and was booed by the fans. Despite the setback, the coach remained confident for the second leg, which will be held in Uruguay.

Regarding the boos coming from the stands, Tite admitted that the fans' dissatisfaction is understandable. "Of course this hurts, especially on the human side. But experience shows that, when you deliver a good production, the fan's reaction is proportional to the love they feel for the club", said the coach, highlighting the emotional bond between the fans and the Most Dear.

The coach was also asked about the difficulty of Mengão in achieving victories away from home in the Libertadores, since 2022. The last victory away from home came on August 31, 2022, against Vélez Sarsfield, with an impressive 4-0. "We have a great opportunity to break this sequence This is part of the history of football, and I believe we are fully capable of getting there and changing this scenario", replied Tite, showing optimism.

Tite guaranteed that the team will be more effective in Uruguay, promising a better performance. "Within two or three minutes, we score the goal, and from that point on, we work on the result. In some moments we were hasty, and the opposing goalkeeper also had merit. But I'm confident that we will create half of the opportunities and convert them into goals there. You can charge me later", said the coach, projecting a positive scenario for the second leg.

This last Tuesday (10), Chile ended up being defeated by Bolivia 2-1. Thus, the Chilean team is going through a new crisis and now occupies the penultimate place in the World Cup Qualifiers table. World 2026. Former Flamengo midfielder, Arturo Vidal cited Erick Pulgar and criticized coach Ricardo Gareca.

To be able to criticize the moment the Chilean team is going through, Vidal used his own Kick channel, on YouTube. Currently at Colo-Colo (CHI), the midfielder criticized the Argentine coach's substitutions.

“I wanted Vicente Pizarro alongside Erick Pulgar or Esteban Pavez. These are players who know Carlitos Palacios and know the right moment to pass the ball”, said the former Flamengo player.

In addition to highlighting that he is against Gareca's substitutions, the former Flamengo player was emphatic that say that the Chile team should not have changed coaches. It's worth remembering that the Chilean federation fired Eduardo Berizzo in November 2023.

“I'm speechless, it hurts me a lot (losing at home to Bolivia). It doesn't make sense to lose like that, having players […] I don't understand some decision-making. He is respected because he is the coach, but I don't understand the approach. It's difficult to talk now […] I would never have changed Eduardo Berizzo. The press is disgusting, the only thing it does is ruin the team”, commented the midfielder who played for Flamengo.

See you At the moment, Chile has five defeats, two draws and just one victory in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, occupying ninth place in the league table. Peru is at the bottom, with three points. Remembering that only the first six countries in the Qualifiers qualify for the world competition.