EXCHANGE BETWEEN THIAGO MAIA AND FAUSTO VERA: FLAMENGO ASKS FOR FINANCIAL CLARITY

With Gerson's departure to Zenit , Flamengo is already working behind the scenes to find a replacement worthy of its former captain and number 8. According to information from journalist Fabrício Lopes, from the O Dia portal, the red-black board has rekindled interest in the Argentine Esequiel Barco .

The 26-year-old midfielder, currently at Spartak Moscow (RUS), is popular with the club's management due to his ability to play a role similar to that of Gerson in midfield . According to the journalist, Flamengo is considering presenting an official offer in the coming days.

COMPLEX NEGOTIATION WITH THE RUSSIANS

Despite the interest, the negotiation is unlikely to be simple. Spartak usually makes negotiations difficult, as has been the case with Carrascal , from Dynamo Moscow — another name speculated by the Rubro-Negro. The asking price for Barco is around 15 million euros (approximately R$96.2 million at the current exchange rate), an amount considered high, but within the reach of the Rio de Janeiro club, which is in good financial health.

Barco, in turn, sees a transfer to Flamengo as a strategic way to increase his visibility and get closer to being called up to the Argentina national team, which is currently undergoing restructuring.

CAREER AND BOAT NUMBERS

Discovered by Independiente (ARG), Barco gained notoriety at a young age, before transferring to Atlanta United (USA), in 2018. In 2022, he returned to Argentine football to defend River Plate, until arriving at Spartak Moscow in July 2024.

Throughout his professional career, he played 283 official matches and scored 55 goals. See the numbers by club:

• Independiente: 57 games / 8 goals and 7 assists
• Atlanta United: 104 games / 22 goals and 16 assists
• River Plate: 95 games / 11 goals and 20 assists
• Spartak Moscow: 27 games / 14 goals and 7 assists

Barco is left-footed and plays mainly as an attacking midfielder, but can also play further back or on the wings — a versatility that pleases the coaching staff led by Filipe Luís. Flamengo has not yet officially confirmed its interest, but market movements indicate that the Argentine is on their radar as one of the main targets for replacement in the midfield sector.

Gerson's second stint at Flamengo is about to end. According to information from journalist Venê Casagrande, Zenit notified the Flamengo board of directors about the decision to pay the midfielder's termination fee , estimated at 25 million euros — the equivalent of around R$160 million at the current exchange rate.

The amount will be enough to activate the clause that releases the athlete immediately. The expectation is that the player will travel today in a plane chartered by the Russian club itself , in order to undergo medical examinations and sign a contract valid for five seasons.

AL NASSR TRIED TO INTERFERE IN THE NEGOTIATION

Even though talks between Zenit and Gerson are already advanced, Al Nassr recently entered the dispute. The Saudi club, led by Jorge Jesus — former coach of Mais Querido —, showed interest in the midfielder and tried to attract the player with a higher salary proposal than the one offered by the Russian team.

Negotiations with the Saudis, however, began just a week ago, right after the Rio de Janeiro club's victory over Chelsea. So far, Zenit remains in the lead, having submitted a formal proposal with the full amount of the fine stipulated in the contract.

GERSON ENDS VICTORIOUS CYCLE

Gerson has had two successful seasons with the red-and-black jersey. The first stint was between 2019 and 2021, during which time he stood out as a regular starter in the midfield. The second stint began in 2023 and is set to end in 2025. In total, the defensive midfielder has played 250 matches, scored 19 goals and provided 35 assists. In addition to his impressive numbers, he has won 12 titles, including:

2 Brazilian Championships (2019 and 2020)

1 Copa Libertadores de America (2019)

1 Brazilian Cup (2024)

3 Brazilian Super Cups (2020, 2021 and 2025)

Real Madrid face Juventus on Tuesday afternoon (10), at 4 pm (Brasília time) , in a match valid for the round of 16 of the 2025 Club World Cup. The match takes place at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, in the United States. The match will be broadcast live on Globo, Globoplay and sportv, in addition to having real-time coverage on ge.

Whoever advances in the duel between the Spanish and Italian giants will face the winner of the match between Borussia Dortmund and Monterrey in the quarter-finals, who play later on Tuesday at 10pm . Both games will be part of the decisive phase of the tournament, which for the first time has adopted a new format with more clubs.

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REAL MADRID AND JUVENTUS

Considered by many analysts to be the greatest European derby ever played in a Club World Cup, the duel brings together the greatest champions of their countries: Real Madrid has 36 national titles, the same number as Juventus in Italy. In international tournaments, Real has collected nine world titles, while Juve has two.

In official head-to-head matches, the teams have faced each other 21 times. Real Madrid have won 10 matches, compared to Juventus' nine , and have drawn two. The Spanish team has scored 29 goals, while the Italian team has scored 25 times. Despite the historical balance, the last three clashes have taken place on North American soil as friendlies. Real Madrid have won two, but Juventus came out on top in the most recent , with a 3-1 victory in August 2023.

CLASSIFICATION IN THE GROUP PHASE

Juventus secured their place in the knockout stages by finishing second in Group G with six points. Real Madrid finished the group stage top of Group H with seven points, giving them the theoretical advantage in the draw, although the balance between the opponents suggests an unpredictable duel.