GABIGOL'S SITUATION GOT WORSE BEHIND THE SCENES OF FLAMENGO WITH THE STAY OF FABRÍCIO BRUNO

With the final stretch of the 2024 season approaching, Flamengo faces an important challenge after the injury to Pedro, who suffered a ruptured ligament in his left knee. The club's vice-president of football, Marcos Braz, stated in an interview with "Fla TV" that he will discuss with coach Tite and his committee the possibility of seeking a new reinforcement to make up for the striker's absence.

The Flamengo see you next time Tuesday (stipulated deadline) to regularize any player who may play for the team this season. However, the options available are limited, as only athletes without a contract can be signed outside the transfer window. Braz highlighted the difficulties in finding suitable names on the market.

"The window is practically over, and the restrictions are enormous in making a signing at this time. After the window closes, it is only possible to sign players who were already without a contract before closing. This greatly reduces the options", explained the manager.

INTERNAL OPTIONS FOR THE POSITION

Despite speculation about possible hiring, Marcos Braz highlighted that The red and black squad already has alternatives for the position. Flamengo has, in addition to Gabigol, who must take responsibility in the attack, other players who can perform the role, such as Carlinhos and Bruno Henrique, who can also be improvised as a center forward.

"We have three players who can play in this position. Gabigol has always solved our problems, we have Carlinhos and Bruno Henrique, who can play the role of 9. We will analyze calmly until Tuesday and decide what is best for Flamengo", concluded Braz.

Pedro's injury was a hard blow for the team, not only because of the impact on performance on the field, but also because of what it means behind the scenes. With a deep and talented cast, Flamengo tends to maintain its competitive level even with absences, thanks to a full bench. However, Pedro's departure raises the question of how the club will fill this gap.

Rumors about possible international reinforcements began to circulate quickly, with names like Memphis Depay, Martial and Mariano Díaz gaining prominence in the press. However, Flamengo's board is taking a cautious approach. According to information from UOL, two main factors are guiding the club's strategy: the performance of the players already available and the budget situation.

 A SCENARIO YOU CAN FORGET IN YOUR MOST DEAR 

Firstly, Flamengo is evaluating the ability of its current players to cover Pedro's absence. Among the possible replacements, Gabigol, Bruno Henrique and Carlinhos are mentioned as viable options. These players have a history of good performance and familiarity with the style of play Flamengo, which could facilitate adaptation and minimize the impact of Pedro's injury.

In addition, the club's financial situation is a crucial point in the decision. With more than R$329 million invested in recent signings, Flamengo has already committed a significant part of its budget. This amount is just a little below the R$360.9 million spent in 2019, when President Rodolfo Landim made large investments. The high financial burden of previous signings implies a more restrictive management of available resources.

Flamengo's board also faces difficulties in relation to the sale of players, which further impacts the budget. Negotiations for transfers of Wesley and Fabrício Bruno did not progress as expected, resulting in a lower than desired performance in player sales. This limits the club's ability to invest in new reinforcements, especially in a competitive market.

In an intense match full of confusion, Flamengo was defeated 2-1 by Corinthians at the Neo Química Arena last Sunday (1). Wesley, who was at the center of a widespread fight at the end of the game, criticized the way the opponents acted.

Corinthians entered the field determined, as had been promised by its technical committee, board and players to the throughout the week. Treating the confrontation against Flamengo as a true final, the São Paulo team played with great intensity, which at several moments bordered on excessive. Upon leaving the stadium, Wesley was seen limping and, when asked about a possible injury, he spared no criticism of the Corinthians players: "The guys are crazy, man", said the full-back.

Wesley was the target of a harsh challenge from Yuri Alberto in the 50th minute of the second half, which resulted in the attacker being sent off. After the play, widespread confusion took over the field, leading to the expulsion of Alcaraz, for Flamengo, and Cacá, for Corinthians.
Flamengo player reveals who started the confusionAccording to defender Fabrício Bruno, the confusion caused by Yuri Alberto's entry into Wesley in second-half stoppage time was caused by another Corinthians player, who was not even warned.

Although Wesley went to confront Yuri after the foul, the fight intensified due to the uncontrolled reaction of the Corinthians players when trying to resolve the situation. Fabrício Bruno commented on the incident and criticized the refereeing, stating that the player who threw the first punch did not even receive a yellow card. "It's unbelievable, the first guy who throws the punch doesn't even get a yellow card. These things always happen. In a classic like this, you need better refereeing", said the defender.