‘You have to be the title of the national team’ - journalist does not spare compliments to Gerson, from Flamengo

Even after Atlético-MG's qualification against Flamengo in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil, striker Hulk made a point of recognizing the opponent's strength. In an interview in the mixed zone after the match last Wednesday (06), the player highlighted that Rubro-Negro is, for him, the best team in Brazil — on and off the field.

Hulk on Flamengo: "the best team in the country"

"I said we'd face the best team in the country, Palmeiras... Sorry, it's Flamengo . Not just on paper, but in practice. They're a team that plays hard, passes the ball around, and moves a lot. They're very difficult to mark. We played three great games —in the Brazilian league and in the World Cup—and we were happy. Now it's time to celebrate this qualification and aim for greater heights," Hulk declared.

WHAT DID FILIPE LUÍS SAY AFTER THE ELIMINATION?

Coach Filipe Luís acknowledged that the team needs to improve after the elimination , but emphasized that the team remains in contention on two fronts: the Brazilian Championship and the Libertadores. The coach also emphasized that he prefers to value the support of the fans in the stadiums over the criticism made on social media.

HOW WAS THE MATCH?

Flamengo defeated Atlético-MG 1-0 in regulation time with a goal from Everton Cebolinha, equaling the aggregate score after a 1-0 loss in the first leg . The match went to penalties, where Flamengo was eliminated: Samuel Lino had his penalty saved by Everson, and Wallace Yan missed the last one by shooting over.

NEXT COMMITMENTS

With the elimination in the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo now focuses its forces on other competitions. The next challenge is for the Brazilian Championship , on Saturday (09), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Mirassol, at Maracanã. After that, the team returns to the field for the Libertadores, on Wednesday (13), against Internacional.

Eliminated in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil after a penalty shootout defeat to Atlético-MG , Flamengo saw newly signed Samuel Lino take responsibility for one of the missed shots. In a post on social media this Thursday (07), the striker lamented the result and thanked the support of the red-black fans , who turned out in force even though they were far from home.

Samuel Lino to Flamengo fans: "You only deserve the best"

"Working much harder. This isn't how I wanted this night to end, especially with the overwhelming support of the nation far from home. I hope very soon to be able to repay the incredible affection I received in these first days as a Flamengo player. You deserve only the best," wrote Lino.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

Flamengo entered the MRV Arena needing to overturn a 1-0 defeat in the first leg. The team managed to tie the match on aggregate with a goal from Everton Cebolinha , forcing a penalty shootout. In the shootout, Samuel Lino had his shot saved by goalkeeper Everson, while Wallace Yan missed with a shot over the bar.

SUPPORT FROM COMPANIONS

Despite the elimination and the penalty misses, the squad showed unity. Midfielder Jorginho came to his teammates' defense: "We're all subject to mistakes. We need to work so they get it right next time . We'll be by their side throughout this process, not letting them get discouraged," he stated.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT GAMES

With the elimination in the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo returns to focus on the other competitions of the season . The next commitment will be this Saturday (09), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Mirassol, at Maracanã, for the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship. Next, Rubro-Negro faces Internacional on Wednesday (13), this time for the Libertadores.

Flamengo was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil by Atlético-MG , this Wednesday (06), at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte. After the 1-0 victory in normal time and defeat on penalties, coach Filipe Luís showed irritation when asked about a possible drop in the team's performance after the Club World Cup.

Filipe Luís on Flamengo's bad form after the World Cup: "This is absurd, a lie"

"This week I've been following some narratives saying that Flamengo is in bad shape after the World Cup. They take 600 minutes of football and reduce it to one sentence . This is absurd, a lie. Against São Paulo, we played a complete and dominant game. The first half against Ceará was a spectacle. Against Santos, we also started well. Against Fluminense, they didn't have a shot on goal," said the coach.

Filipe then also defended the work done against difficult opponents and criticized simplistic analyses.

"I challenge you to see how many defeats Cuca has suffered in the last five years to understand that it's not easy to play against a team he coaches. Summing it all up in one sentence makes no sense. My team is fine. There will be good days and bad days, absences, injuries... The important thing is to know what's being done on the field . The group believes in the idea. This isn't about an isolated moment. When we beat Galo in the Brasileirão, they said we were leaders after the World Cup," he added.

HOW IS FLAMENGO AFTER THE WORLD CUP?

Since the end of the Club World Cup, Flamengo has played eight matches, with five wins, one draw (against Ceará) and two defeats, one of which was against Atlético-MG, which sealed their elimination from the Copa do Brasil.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

In normal time, Flamengo won 1-0, with a goal from Everton Cebolinha , equaling the score from the first leg . However, in the penalty shootout, the red-and-black team was defeated. Samuel Lino and Wallace Yan missed their shots, sealing Atlético-MG's qualification.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Eliminated from the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo now turns its focus to the Campeonato Brasileiro. The next game takes place this Saturday (09), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Mirassol, at Maracanã . Mengão is the leader of the Brasileirão with 37 points, the same number as Cruzeiro, in second place, but with one game less than the Minas Gerais team.