Santos coach explains how he stopped Flamengo: “We knew how to close it out…”

Flamengo's football director, José Boto , revealed previously unpublished details about the signing of midfielder Saúl Ñíguez. In an interview with Portuguese newspaper Record , the director said he had to stay up all night to get the player off a private flight from a Turkish club and secure his arrival in Rio de Janeiro.

According to Boto , the negotiations faced an additional complication: the time difference between Brazil and Spain. " When you do business with Europe, you have the time zone issue. In this case, it was a five-hour time difference to Spain, and that forced me, right after a game, to stay up all night to close the deal at almost five in the morning in Brazil," he said.

SAÚL ÑÍGUEZ HAS ALREADY BECOME HOLDER

Even without scoring his first goal for the Red-Blacks, the Spanish midfielder has already established himself as a solid presence in the team. He has played 13 games, the first three as a substitute and the following ten as a starter , earning two cautions and one assist. His performance has helped solidify the central midfield.

LOSS IN THE LAST GAME

Midfielder Saúl Ñíguez was left out of the match against Bahia last Sunday (5), due to pain in his left ankle. Despite the absence, the coaching staff is not afraid that the player will be left out of the team's next match.

FLAMENGO X BOTAFOGO

With Saúl available, Flamengo returns to action on October 15th, facing Botafogo at 7:30 pm at Nilton Santos Stadium in the 28th round of the competition. The match will be broadcast exclusively on Premiere (a cable channel).

Flamengo returns to action on October 15th , following the FIFA World Cup break. During the period without matches, between the 6th and 14th, coach Filipe Luís is closely monitoring the recovery of midfielder Erick Pulgar , who could be the team's biggest boost for the derby against Botafogo.

The Chilean is recovering from a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot, suffered during the Club World Cup against Bayern Munich. He has not played for the Red-Blacks since then . The rehabilitation process, monitored by the medical department and the coaching staff, has shown positive progress.

Pulgar is already undergoing physical reconditioning activities and has been participating in specific sessions at Ninho do Urubu, focusing on regaining rhythm and strengthening muscles. The number 5's presence in the derby is considered an internal priority , but the club is taking precautions to avoid the risk of further injury.

RIGHT FOOT INJURY

A fractured fifth metatarsal is considered one of the most delicate injuries in professional soccer , requiring recovery time and intensive monitoring. Similar cases have occurred with high-profile players, such as Neymar, in 2018.

Therefore, Flamengo is avoiding an early return, prioritizing a full recovery. Pulgar is expected to return to action in October, gradually being reinstated to the starting lineup depending on the medical department's approval.

FLAMENGO AND BOTAFOGO

Flamengo's next match will be against Botafogo on October 15th at 7:30 pm (Brasília time) at Nilton Santos Stadium, in the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match is considered crucial and could directly impact the battle for the top of the table.

Flamengo confirmed that defender Danilo will also be fined internally after his expulsion in the defeat to Bahia, in the 27th round of the Brazilian Championship, this Sunday (5), at Arena Fonte Nova. The club follows an internal disciplinary regulation that establishes different levels of punishment according to the nature of the infraction.

According to the club's protocol, there are clear distinctions between the types of red cards issued: one for a tactical foul is treated differently than one for recklessness, necessity, or unnecessary behavior. Each situation receives a specific penalty level . This information comes from the Coluna do Fla website.

Therefore, the punishment for Danilo , whose expulsion was considered the result of a reckless play, will be lighter , while that of Wallace Yan, expelled for a complaint and a minor assault in sequence, tends to be more severe.

DANILO WAS SENT OFF AFTER 12 MINUTES

In the 12th minute of the first half, Danilo lifted his foot too high during a dispute for the ball and hit Bahia striker Tiago in the face , who had anticipated the play. Referee Rodrigo José Pereira de Lima showed a straight red card, leaving Flamengo with ten men down early in the match.

WALLACE YAN WAS ALSO EXPELLED

Along with Danilo, striker Wallace Yan was also sent off in the second half . He came on in the 22nd minute and was removed from the game ten minutes later after receiving two yellow cards: the first for protesting and the second for hitting Bahia's Gilberto in the face.

As this is conduct considered unnecessary and avoidable, the player will be subject to a higher level of punishment within the club's internal regulations , resulting in a heavier fine.