
Soccer
10 Jul 2025 | 07:44 |
Negotiations between Flamengo and Spartak Moscow for midfielder Esequiel Barco have temporarily stalled. According to an investigation by journalist Raisa Simplicio of Goal, the Rio de Janeiro club submitted a €14 million offer, but the Russian club responded with a €20 million offer—approximately R$131 million . Since then, there has been no progress in the negotiations.
The 26-year-old has already expressed interest in returning to South American football, where he played for Independiente and River Plate . He also played for Atlanta United in Major League Soccer. Barco's current contract with Spartak expires in June 2027 , giving the Russian club greater control over the negotiations.
Despite the impasse with Spartak, Flamengo has reportedly already agreed on salary terms with the player's staff, according to the newspaper O Dia . The current issue lies solely with the Russians. Meanwhile, Flamengo is also dealing with difficult negotiations involving Jorge Carrascal of Dynamo Moscow.
Barco is a household name at Maracanã. He scored the winning goal in the 2017 Copa Sudamericana, when Independiente defeated Flamengo in the final in Rio de Janeiro. Now, the Argentine is looking forward to a return to the continent , believing that playing in South America could strengthen his bid for the 2026 World Cup.
With negotiations stalled, Flamengo is now focusing on preparing for the rest of the Brazilian Championship. Mengão hosts São Paulo this Saturday (12) at 4:30 pm (Brasília time) at Maracanã. The Mais Querido is the leader of the Brasileirão with 24 points , the same number as Cruzeiro, but surpasses the Minas Gerais team in goal difference (20 to 9), in addition to having a game less due to participation in the Club World Cup.
After tests confirmed the consolidation of a fracture in his right foot, the Chilean is released for field work and begins the final phase of recovery with a view to returning
13 Set 2025 | 08:35 |
Midfielder Erick Pulgar took an important step towards returning to play for Flamengo . Tests carried out this Friday (12) showed the consolidation of the fracture in the fifth metatarsal of the right foot , allowing the player to be released to begin activities on the pitch.
With medical clearance, Pulgar now begins the transition to field work . The Chilean will continue physical therapy to resume running, progress to ball-handling activities, and then enter the physical conditioning phase, the final phase before returning to official matches.
The midfielder hasn't played since the Club World Cup in June. After surgery on July 3, Pulgar spent some time in Chile and then returned to Ninho do Urubu to continue his treatment. Until then, he had been working out in the training center's indoor area.
The injury occurred during the Club World Cup Round of 16 match against Bayern Munich. The midfielder had already suffered the same type of fracture in his first months at the club, when it took him about 60 days to return to the squad.
Although coach Filipe Luís stated that he was counting on the Chilean for the Libertadores quarterfinals, it is unlikely that he will be on the field for the matches against Estudiantes , scheduled for September 18 and 25. Pulgar is expected to be available later in the season, reinforcing Flamengo's role in the ongoing competitions.
With sold-out sections, Mais Querido fans promise to fill Maracanã in the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals against the Argentine team
13 Set 2025 | 08:12 |
Flamengo fans once again demonstrate their strength and should transform the Maracanã into a cauldron. According to journalist Venê Casagrande, 57,402 tickets have already been sold for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals against Estudiantes , scheduled for next Thursday (18).
High demand quickly sold out the North, East, Lower West, and Maracanã Mais sectors. Currently, only tickets remain for the South sector, priced at R$200 (full price) and R$100 (half price). The club's management expects all 60,000 tickets on sale to be sold out this Thursday.
Adding up free tickets, courtesies, VIP boxes, and reserved seats, the projected attendance for the match is high. The estimate is that more than 67,000 fans will cheer the team on in their quest for a spot in the semifinals of the continental competition.
Before the decisive duel for the Libertadores, Flamengo has an important commitment in the Brasileirão. On Sunday (14), at 4 pm (Brasília time), the team faces Juventude at the Alfredo Jacon i Stadium , for the 23rd round of the championship.
Rubro-Negro leads the table with 47 points, while the team from Rio Grande do Sul is in 18th place with 21 points. The return match against Estudiantes, which will determine who qualifies for the semifinals , will take place on September 25th at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium (UNO) in La Plata, Argentina.
The coach was approached by the Turkish club, but chose to continue working for Mais Querido; the red-black board is trying to extend the contract until 2026.
13 Set 2025 | 07:59 |
Coach Filipe Luís turned down an offer from Fenerbahçe of Turkey to remain with the club he leads at Flamengo. According to a report by the UOL portal, the European club approached Flamengo's board and expressed formal interest in the coach . Despite admitting his desire to one day work in European football, Filipe Luís preferred not to open negotiations , understanding that his career in Brazil is still ongoing.
Fenerbahçe even signaled financial compensation to the Rio de Janeiro club , but as neither the coach nor the board were willing to end the current project, the talks did not progress.
The club's management has already submitted a contract renewal proposal to Filipe Luís , valid until the end of 2026 and renewable for another year, including a salary increase. The coach, who signed in 2024 with a salary lower than that of the country's elite coaches , has not yet pushed for a raise and has promised to submit a counterproposal.
Filipe Luís has always publicly stated his ambition to coach European clubs. However, he understands that he is undergoing a process of professional development and that remaining in Brazil helps in this development. Internally, this vision is seen as a positive factor in maintaining his position at least until next season.
In addition to Fenerbahçe, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen has also recently expressed interest in Filipe Luís. Even so, the board believes the coach won't leave Mengão at this time to pursue a project abroad, and is confident he'll stay until the end of his current term at Flamengo .