STJD wants to use video against Bruno Henrique, from Flamengo

Flamengo's youth academy product, Lucas Paquetá, was investigated for over a year due to suspicions of involvement in sports betting. The midfielder was eventually acquitted by the courts , but could still face punishment from the English Football Association (FA) for failing to cooperate with the case.

In a statement released on Wednesday (3), the FA confirmed that it will not appeal the acquittal decision . However, it announced that Paquetá will be punished for failing to comply with Rule F3, which deals with the obligation to cooperate with investigations. The sanction should be financial, in the form of a fine, according to the English press.

The decision on the penalty will be made by the Regulatory Commission, which will release details soon. In a statement, the FA reiterated its commitment to preserving the integrity of football and conducting thorough investigations into serious allegations.

THE PAQUETÁ CASE

The investigation began in May 2024, when the FA accused the former Flamengo player of manipulating bets by forcing yellow cards in four Premier League matches : against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth. In all of them, the midfielder was cautioned.

The federation even requested Paquetá's ban, but the Regulatory Commission concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the accusation. Thus, on July 31, the player was cleared to return to the field.

FUTURE IN EUROPE

Following his acquittal, European clubs once again began to approach the Brazilian. Aston Villa (ENG) submitted a £47 million (approximately R$347 million) offer , but West Ham (ENG) rejected the offer and kept the midfielder on their roster.

PAQUETA IN THE NATIONAL TEAM

Paquetá is currently part of the Brazilian National Team, available for the match this Thursday (4) against Chile , at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, valid for the penultimate round of the Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Last week, Flamengo met with the Rio de Janeiro City Hall and reaffirmed its commitment to building its own stadium on the Gasômetro site, located in the Porto Maravilha region. However, the club ruled out the possibility of opening in 2029 , as initially planned.

BAP EXPLAINS THE PROJECT'S OBSTACLES

Bap on Flamengo's stadium in 2029: "It wouldn't be possible"

In an interview with Flamengo TV , president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, explained that the requirements of the public notice were the main obstacle to accelerating the project's feasibility phase. The president also emphasized that the pending issues are not as simple to resolve as the previous board tried to make them out to be:

"There were a series of conditions imposed in the bidding documents for us to move forward. As we evaluated the preconditions presented as premises in the initial project, we encountered several difficulties . Things weren't as simple, quick, or easy to implement. It wouldn't be possible for Flamengo to build this stadium and open it in 2029."

THE STADIUM WILL BE A REALITY, BUT WITHOUT RUSH

Despite the postponement of the deadline, Bap guaranteed that the Gasômetro stadium will be built , emphasizing that the project will not compromise the club's coffers nor will it require transformation into a SAF, a possibility that was considered under the previous management:

"When we went through the economic feasibility aspect, considering the current interest rates in Brazil, it became clear that to build the stadium within the agreed deadline, we would have to compromise on sporting performance. It would probably be necessary to convert Flamengo into a public utility company. We made a proposal to the City Hall and understand that the dream remains . Flamengo will have its own stadium, but not as quickly as expected."

FEASIBILITY STUDIES IN PROGRESS

The club continues its technical and economic analysis, which is considered essential to making the project a reality. According to management, the studies began about eight months ago , when Bap took over as president.

To this end, Flamengo relies on the support of specialized companies, such as FGV, Arena Venues + Events, Soloeste Engenharia Ltda. and AECOM , which assist in evaluating all aspects involved in the stadium's development.

For Flamengo fans, when it comes to the Brazilian National Team there is a constant concern whenever a Flamengo player is called up , the fear of a possible injury grows . This time, the situation fell on Samuel Lino, who suffered a tackle during Brazil's training session this Tuesday (2).

Flamengo 's number 16 was called up to replace the injured Matheus Cunha of Manchester United (ENG) . During the training session, he received a more forceful approach from midfielder Casemiro, lost his balance and showed signs of pain, but continued training normally.

FANS' REACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The Red-Black Nation did not hide its apprehension on social media:

• “They’re trying to injure Lino, give him back now, CBF ,” wrote one fan.
• “ May Samuel Lino return in one piece from this FIFA Date,” said another user.
• “For the love of God, give Lino back IN FULL ,” asked a Flamengo fan.

THE TRAUMA WITH PEDRO

The fans' fears have a recent history. In 2024, Pedro was enjoying one of the best phases of his career when he suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury during a training session with the national team. The striker was sidelined for months and only returned to the field in 2025.

WILL SAMUEL LINO BE OUT OF BRAZIL'S SQUAD?

Despite the concern, the CBF did not report any physical problems with Samuel Lino . Thus, the striker remains available to Carlo Ancelotti for the match this Thursday (4), when Brazil faces Chile, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã.