THE GLOBE
From the dream of the Libertadores to training in an empty Gávea
The club, which would have played Santos yesterday, could announce the signing of Dininho today.
For those who hadn't yet fully grasped the blow of elimination from the Copa Libertadores, Wednesday was a momentous day in Gávea. If Flamengo hadn't stopped at América in Mexico, they would have played Santos yesterday in a packed Vila Belmiro stadium. But the training session was virtually devoid of fans.
- We played in the State finals and other teams watched - said Fábio Luciano.
"It's been different than we imagined. But I'm living each day and I'm happy with our good start in the Brazilian Championship," said coach Caio Júnior.
To build motivation, Caio began his first training session with the 11 reserves facing the youth team. When they came on, due to a mistake by the youth coaching staff, the starters faced the 20-man U-12 team for ten minutes. Seeing a free opponent, defender Ronaldo Angelim realized the error. Souza, with tendinitis, is doubtful for the match against Grêmio on Sunday.
Today, Flamengo may announce the signing of Palmeiras defender Dininho. He's negotiating a contract until December.
The club paid March's salaries using approximately R$3,5 million from BWA, the company responsible for selling tickets to Flamengo's games. The agreement, which is not unprecedented, allows the company to deduct a percentage of the club's revenue from the Brazilian Championship. With the sale of 90% of the rights to striker Pedro Beda, from the youth team, the club received R$450 and paid a new installment to purchase 75% of goalkeeper Bruno's rights.
Flamengo, as the training club, expects to receive a percentage of the sale of Felipe Melo, who left Almería for Fiorentina, for 13 million.
Good People Column
She loves Obina
João Roberto Kelly's 50-year career will be celebrated with the release next month of a book featuring the sheet music for all of the songs by the father of "Mulata Bossa Nova." João will soon release an album of all-new songs. Among them is the Maria Chuteira marchinha: "Ôôôô Maria Chuteira wants to marry a footballer/ She dates Tardelli, adores Obina and goes out with Dodô/ And says that Ronaldinho isn't what the people say."
Speaking of which
Attention, police. Flameganistão, a homophobic group within Flamengo fans, has just been created.
SPORTS JOURNAL
Hope is back
Out since the Rio Cup semifinal, Renato Augusto hopes to be fit to return on Sunday
Bernardo Peirão and Nathan de Lima
Jair Motta
Renato Augusto worked up a sweat in yesterday's training session and is hopeful of facing Grêmio on Sunday.
The beads of sweat dripping from Renato Augusto's nose during the press conference were proof of his effort. After all, his desire to wear the number 10 jersey again is so strong that not even the chronic pain in his right knee, which continues to bother him, seems to be enough to keep him from training, which this week will determine his return for the match against Grêmio on Sunday in Porto Alegre.
Getting used to dealing with injuries, which have been a constant fixture since his promotion to the professional team, Renato tries to maintain his composure. This year, besides suffering a sunken facial injury in the first game of the season, he also had a problem with his right knee, which has kept him out of the team since the loss to Botafogo in the Taça Rio semifinal.
Renato Augusto, a mature man, asked the club's doctors and trainers not to return earlier than expected, in an attempt to prepare himself to the fullest so he could truly help the team. He remembers the poor performances and boos from the fans last year, when he played with great effort.
"I don't want to play again and sacrifice myself. I want to come back in good shape so I can really help. The pain is practically gone. It's a bit of a nasty injury. I'm going to talk to the coaching staff to find out what's best. I'm feeling comfortable, happy. Nothing in my life has been easy. I'll keep working hard to always be in good shape," said Renato, who already has a recipe for avoiding injuries again: "I'm going to cross myself, buy a fig, a necklace. Let's see if I don't get hurt."
Half time
For the club's physical trainer, Ronaldo Torres, Renato will be able to participate for at least a while.
"He's working on his physical health. His muscles are already good. Throughout the week, he'll do other exercises and improve. I can't say he'll be 100%, but he should be able to handle at least 45 minutes," he said.
The motivation and desire to play again increased with the arrival of Caio Júnior and the team's good debut in the Brasileirão, which filled the supporters with hope.
"We need to take advantage of the fact that there are many teams forming to get off to a good start, unlike last year. The arrival of a new coach always motivates the group. So far, I've worked very little with Caio. Every coach has their own style. We need to respect him and understand what he wants," he concluded.
Caio wins over the players
Coach completes a week at Flamengo and players like his style
Nathan de Lima and Pedro Chiaverini
Ursula Nery
Caio hasn't made any drastic changes to the team yet and yesterday he led his first collective training session
Today, coach Caio Júnior completes a week in charge of Flamengo. The coach was hired to take over a team in heaven, but due to the team's elimination to América de México in the Copa Libertadores, he ended up taking over in a place of absolute hell. However, with great calm and following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Joel Santana, he seems to be pleasing the players. Team captain Fábio Luciano gives a brief summary of the new coach's first week.
"It's true that today was my first training session because I was injured. But I've been getting along really well with him. He's come in slowly, boosted the players' morale, and hasn't made any drastic tactical changes. Our defense continues to play the same way. I can say that, overall, the group is enjoying his work," he said.
The defender remembers that Caio Júnior and Joel Santana have a similar way of working.
"It's good because the training and tactical style are very similar to Joel's. This is very good because the team doesn't feel it much. At least for now we're playing like this. Caio might change something later on," he warns.
First training
Yesterday, Caio Júnior led his first collective training session. To everyone's surprise, he decided to innovate and put the reserve team in first. While the starters worked on their fitness, the reserves were on the field facing the youth team. In the second half of the training session, it was the starters' turn to take the field, and with a strong performance by Kleberson, they defeated the youth team 3-0. Goals came from Ibson, Juan, and Obina, who replaced the injured Souza.
At the end of the training session, Caio Júnior commented on the training and took the opportunity to praise Kleberson.
"It was my first training session, and I got to know my players better. As I said, I'll continue Joel's good work. I liked Kleberson; he really understood the tactical role I gave him."
Bruno, Toró and Jonatas free to play on Sunday
File/JS
Bruno is cleared to face Gremio on Sunday in the Brazilian Championship
One less headache for Gávea. After Caio Júnior's acquittal on Tuesday, Flamengo breathes a sigh of relief with the Sports Justice Court confirming the acquittal of Bruno, Jônatas, and Toró for the incidents that occurred during the match against Botafogo, still in the Taça Rio.
Therefore, the three are free to face Grêmio, on Sunday, in the Brazilian Championship.
Kleberson more motivated with the new coach
Caio Júnior's arrival at Flamengo has already begun to produce the natural effects of any coaching change. The so-called extra motivation the squad receives, including starters and reserves, makes everyone want to show the new manager they can perform on the field. For fan Kleberson, however, the change was more profound.
Since arriving at Flamengo, still under Joel Santana, he played on the left side of the field. With Caio's arrival, the player, already known to the coach from his time at Atlético-PR, has moved to the right, a position where he feels most comfortable and hopes to improve:
"Caio Júnior knows me well from when I played for Atlético-PR. With him, I'm more on the right side, with more freedom, getting further forward. With Joel, I was more withdrawn," explained the player, who doesn't feel indebted to the fans, but recognized that he can achieve much more.
THE DAY
Novelty and 'prank'
In his first training session at Gávea, Caio Júnior starts with the reserves against the youth team and then the starters face a team with 12 players.
Janir Junior
Rio - Caio Júnior led his first training session at Gávea yesterday. The training session was both innovative and challenging. The coach began the session with the reserve team against the juniors, led by Adílio. In the second half, he fielded the starting lineup against the same team, but with 12 players until Ronaldo Angelim noticed something was amiss. Caio emphasized the importance of both situations and explained each of them.
"I started with the reserves to do something different, to motivate them. This way, they were watched closely, even by the starting players. Those on the bench can't be discouraged or stop training; they must show that they are professionals," the coach explained.
Regarding the starters, who performed well and defeated the juniors 3-0, with goals from Íbson, Juan, and Obina, Caio reveled in the match against the 12-man squad: "Adílio's team had 11 players, and Angelim found it strange, as there was always one player left over. After 10 minutes, he realized it. That proves his intelligence."
The starting lineup included Bruno, Leonardo Moura, Fábio Luciano (recovered from injury), Ronaldo Angelim, and Juan; Jaílton, Kléberson, Íbson, and Toró; and Marcinho and Obina. Souza, with Achilles tendon pain, did not participate in the training session.
Fábio Luciano approved of Caio Júnior's innovation. "It was great, it made all the players feel comfortable. If it weren't like that, many starters would certainly leave and wouldn't support the reserves. We all watched the training session," defender Fábio Luciano remarked.
Caio Júnior emphasizes the importance of training for those who want to compete for a spot, especially Cristian, who was benched in the last game under Joel Santana, and Jônatas, who wasn't being used. "We'll see what image they project in training. This was my first training session. But I observed a lot," said Caio.
Coach wants the team to make a comeback in the South
Janir Junior
Rio - After the victory over Santos in the Brazilian Championship debut, Caio Júnior's mission is to continue the good start on Sunday, against Grêmio, in Porto Alegre, and make a run, as the team will have four consecutive matches at Maracanã: Internacional (24/5), Fluminense (1/6), Figueirense (7/6) and São Paulo (14/6).
"The fans' role will be important in these four games at Maracanã. It's an interesting start to the Brazilian Championship for us. Those who start well in the competition have better chances," analyzed Caio Júnior.
After yesterday's training session, the coach will spend the entire day today working on set pieces. "Grêmio also has quality in these plays," Caio added.
DININHO AND GAVILÁN
Dininho declared yesterday that he wants to play at Gávea, as long as an agreement is reached between Palmeiras and Flamengo executives. Gavilán, however, said that if he isn't selected, he will leave the club, even though his contract runs until July.
"I dream of representing Paraguay in the African Cup, and for that I need to play," said Gavilán, who played for Grêmio, Sunday's opponent, and took the opportunity to issue a warning: "There has been a restructuring, but what I can say is that, at the Olímpico, the team is almost unbeatable."
Caio Júnior praises Kleberson in the collective
Rio - The team's first training session under new coach Caio Júnior was highly anticipated this Wednesday at Gávea. However, the coach surprised everyone by fielding the reserve team against the junior team's starters in the first half of the training session.
Only in the second half did Caio field the starters, with Obina replacing Souza, who was experiencing Achilles tendon pain in his right foot. The starters defeated the junior reserves 3-0, with goals from Juan, Ibson, and Obina himself.
The team commander explained the change in schedule:
"Sometimes in football, you have to try something different. It was my first training session, so I let the training run smoothly, wanting to observe the players' individual performance. The tendency is to maintain that. The team is very confident on the field. The training pace is different from a game. The team knows what it wants when it has possession, and it has good plays down the wings. I liked Kléberson's positioning," he declared.
Palmeiras fan Dininho reveals: 'I always wanted to play for Flamengo'
Possible replacement for Rodrigo, defender praises the Rubro-Negro club
Rio - With defender Rodrigo's move to São Paulo, speculation began about a possible replacement for the red-and-black squad. Dininho, currently at Palmeiras, where he's not being used by Vanderlei Luxemburgo, has gained traction, and this Wednesday, the defender spoke about Flamengo's interest. Dininho didn't mince words when expressing his desire to play for the red-and-blacks:
"I was very happy to hear of Flamengo's interest, which, in my opinion, is the biggest club in Brazil. I'm very interested. Flamengo is a team with a lot of tradition and a wonderful fan base. It's always been my goal to wear the Flamengo jersey. I hope it works out and the deal goes through," he revealed in an interview with Rádio Brasil.
Besides dreaming of wearing the Sacred Mantle, another big attraction for Dininho to move to Gávea is coach Caio Jr, with whom he has already worked:
"My work with him was the best possible. Caio is a great coach, a good character, I have nothing but praise for him. I'm rooting for him to work with him again; it would be a great joy," he said.
The Palmeiras board has no interest in maintaining a contract with the player and has already released him to talk to other clubs. Despite receiving offers from Arab football, Dininho makes no secret of his preference for Rubro-Negro:
"I want to stay in Brazil, but my agent is the one who's taking care of that. If I were to go to Flamengo, it would be a great pleasure," concluded the defender.
SPORTS GAZETTE
Souza is spared from the training match and is in doubt\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Still complaining of Achilles tendon pain, striker Souza was the most noticeable absence in Flamengo's training match against the youth team on Wednesday afternoon. The player will be re-evaluated by Flamengo's doctors on Thursday. Coach Caio Júnior therefore took advantage of the training match to test Obina alongside Marcinho. Obina capitalized and, along with Juan and Ibson, scored the starting goals.
Unlike usual, the training match began with Flamengo's reserves on the field. The starters only entered the field in the second half, with the following lineups: Bruno, Leonardo Moura, Ronaldo Angelim, Fábio Luciano, and Juan; Jaílton, Kleberson, Ibson, and Toró; Marcinho and Obina.
Recovered from injury, attacking midfielder Renato Augusto trained with the reserves. Having come off a period of inactivity, he is expected to be on the bench for the match against Grêmio next Sunday in Porto Alegre.
Dead ball and Roger worry Flamengo at Olímpico\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - After a 3-1 victory over Santos that calmed the spirits at Flamengo, Caio Júnior is counting on another positive result in the south of the country, against Grêmio, on Sunday. To achieve this, however, the coach knows that the Rubro-Negro will face many challenges. "Grêmio started the Brasileirão very well, beating São Paulo at Morumbi Stadium, and we know they improve even more when they play at the Olímpico. They will come at us, and we need to be careful with their set pieces," warned the coach.
Among other Grêmio standouts, Caio Júnior praised a longtime Flamengo fan. "We also need to keep an eye on Roger, who's a very skilled player and usually provides excellent ammunition for the attackers," he analyzed, pointing to the midfielder who played for Gávea in 2007.
Sports equipment – Flamengo's board may announce its decision this Thursday regarding a potential change in sports equipment supplier. Although Nike has signaled a renewal proposal of around R$18 million per year, the club appears willing to reach an agreement with Olympikus, which reportedly offered R$2 million more, in addition to the construction of ten stores throughout Brazil.
Ready to return, Fábio Luciano is defended by Caio Júnior\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Fábio Luciano has already made a name for himself at Gávea. Last year, the defender joined Flamengo, became captain, and was one of the key players in leading the team from the relegation zone in the Brazilian Championship to the Libertadores. This season, the defender led the Rubro-Negro to the Rio de Janeiro title. However, last week, he faced some criticism when he sat out the match against América-MEX. Claims that he refused to take the field due to competition for bonuses fell on deaf ears with coach Caio Júnior. Newly arrived at Gávea, the coach already shows admiration for the Flamengo defender.
"It was very important before the game against Santos, the presence of our captain in the training camp to give strength to the team, even though he knew he couldn't be on the field," highlighted Caio, referring to Fábio Luciano's behavior before the first match in the Brasileirão - a 3-1 victory over Santos.
Having practically recovered from the injury that kept him out of Flamengo's last two matches, Fábio Luciano is expected to regain his armband on Sunday, when the team visits Grêmio in the second round of the Brazilian Championship.
"I'm not here at Flamengo for the money, but for pleasure. I've learned to love Flamengo," said the Flamengo defender, who admitted to retiring at the end of the year, despite having a contract that ran until December 2009.
PELENET
Unsurprisingly, Caio Júnior leads his first collective at Flamengo
From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\
Caio Júnior led his first training session with Flamengo this Wednesday at Gávea. And as expected, there were no changes to the lineup. The coach, who has been in charge for a week, maintained the core of the lineup adopted by Joel Santana.
Unsurprisingly, coach Caio Júnior held a training session this Wednesday, in Gávea
The only "surprise" was Obina's presence in the attack, as Souza is still recovering from an Achilles heel problem in his right foot. However, the number 9 is expected to return to training this Thursday.
"It's time for maintenance. To continue Joel Santana's previous work. Things will happen. Today I observed a lot. I analyzed the players. And I'm sure we'll strengthen this group even more. Now, they have to prove to me how much they deserve a chance," the coach assessed.
In the first half of the session, Caio fielded the reserves. Striker Éder was the standout, scoring both goals in the 2-0 victory. In the second half, the starters stepped up and made it 3-0, with goals from Ibson, Juan, and Obina. In both sessions, the opponent was the Rubro-Negro youth team.
"I started with the reserves to watch them train. It was the first training session. I let it run," explained the commander.
A curious fact was observed during the training session. During the second half of the activity, the youth team played with 12 players, which made it difficult for the starters to perform.
"Adílio (the youth coach) did this on purpose. The team was struggling and training improved. Angelim was the one who realized they were one man too many," the coach said.
Flamengo's starting lineup was made up of: Bruno; Leonardo Moura, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Jailton, Kléberson, Toró and Ibson; Marcinho and Obina.
This team, with the exception of Obina, who should give way to Souza, will be maintained for the game against Grêmio, Sunday, at 16 pm, at Olímpico, for the second round of the Brazilian Championship.
Fla without absences for the Brazilian Championship
Toró, Bruno and Jônatas were tried and the TJD/RJ Plenary upheld the first instance decision
ISABEL VERGARA AND TAYNÁ JORDÃO
Wednesday night, May 14th, brought good news for Flamengo. The club, which had three players tried by the full court, left the Rio de Janeiro Sports Court of Justice (TJD/RJ) with a chance to celebrate. This is because, by a majority vote, the Court's Prosecutor's Office appeal was denied, meaning players Toró, Bruno, and Jônatas are free to play in the Brazilian Championship.
Dr. Michel Asseff Filho, with the three acquitted, has only reason to celebrate: "The Prosecutor's Office appealed but failed to present video evidence to support the appeal, and this helped us. Although one of the auditors voted to convict Jônatas and Toró, all the others upheld the Disciplinary Committee's decision. They believed it was fair. I leave here satisfied because that was my intention: to uphold the first-instance result," Flamengo's lawyer told the website Justicadesportiva.
Contrary to expectations, the three athletes did not appear before the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJD/RJ) to give their statements about the case. The club's lawyer, Dr. Michel Asseff Filho, explained that he saw no need for them to appear, since they had not spoken in the first instance trial either. He noted that Jônatas was undergoing treatment, and that Bruno and Toró appeared but did not speak due to the evident video evidence. The defense also emphasized that no defendant is required to testify.
During the trial, the defense recalled the photo shown in the first session, confirming that Jônatas had not assaulted anyone and emphasizing his first offense. Regarding Bruno, it was argued that the goalkeeper was merely surprised by his opponent and that the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJD/RJ) Prosecutor's Office should have left the video evidence in the record. Regarding Toró, the attorney reaffirmed that there was no aggression of any kind, at most, hostility.
At the time of the vote, the rapporteur upheld the lower court's decision. Everyone agreed with him, except Dr. Vanderler, who voted to suspend Toró for 120 minutes, Jônatas for 60 minutes for attempted assault, and the only one acquitted by him was goalkeeper Bruno.
In the trial conducted by Commission A of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJD/RJ), Toró and Jônatas were suspended for one match, while Bruno was acquitted. At that time, Obina was also tried and suspended for two matches, but the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJD/RJ) Prosecutor's Office did not appeal the decision, claiming that the player appeared in court to testify and clarify the events of the match.
Recall the complaints:
JÔNATAS – He responded to articles 251 (Complaining, by gestures or words, against the referee's decisions or disrespecting the referee and his assistants) and 253 combined with 157, II (An infraction is considered: II - attempted when, once the execution has begun, it is not completed due to circumstances beyond the agent's control), for the attempted headbutt on the black and white Jorge Henrique, after the confusion that resulted in the Flamengo midfielder's expulsion. If convicted, the first article could result in a suspension of one to three matches, and the second, because it is combined with article 157, is half the minimum penalty, that is, a 60-day suspension.
BRUNO – The goalkeeper was charged under Article 253 (Committing a violent play) in conjunction with Article 157, II (The offense is considered: II - attempted when, once the execution has begun, it is not completed due to circumstances beyond the control of the perpetrator), for having attempted to attack Botafogo defender André Luis with a punch, following the confusion surrounding Jônatas's expulsion. The penalty, in conjunction with Article 157, is half the minimum penalty, or a 60-day suspension.
TORÓ – The player was reported for violating Article 253 (Committing a violent play) in conjunction with Article 157, I (The infraction is considered: I – completed, when all the elements of its definition are met), for taking advantage of the fact that the black and white goalkeeper Castillo was covered by players from both teams and kicked the Uruguayan player in the head. The penalty could also be a 120 to 540-day suspension.
All articles are from the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD).
GLOBOESPORTE
Caio Júnior starts with the reserves in the first training session for Rubro-Negro
The starters watch the first half of the session. Fábio Luciano returns to the starting lineup after a thigh injury. Souza is out of training.
Eduardo Peixoto From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro
Caio Júnior talks to the players during training
After six days of work, coach Caio Júnior led his first training session as Flamengo's coach this Wednesday afternoon. And he innovated. The starters sat on the sidelines while the reserves began their training session against a team made up of a mix of juniors and under-performers.
"It's great for all the players to feel comfortable. We sit there, joking around, and watching the others. If it weren't like this, many of the starters would certainly leave and not support the reserves. It's a well-done innovation," says captain Fábio Luciano.
The reserve team trained with Diego; Luizinho, Leonardo, Rodrigo Arroz, and Egídio; Cristian, Rômulo, Jônatas, and Renato Augusto; Diego Tardelli and Éder. The latter, in fact, was the standout. He scored twice and formed a great partnership with Tardelli.
As for the main team, only striker Souza didn't participate. Obina replaced him. The news was the return of captain Fábio Luciano. He missed the last two games due to pain in his right leg, but has been released. Coach Caio Júnior says the changes will come gradually.
"Each of them will show me in training whether they deserve to stay on the team. I just arrived, and this was just my first training session. But I was able to observe a lot," says the coach.
Flamengo returns to action next Sunday against Grêmio at the Olímpico Stadium at 16 p.m. Flamengo debuted with a 3-1 victory over Santos in the Brazilian Championship and leads the competition in goals scored.
Souza loses his status as an absolute starter
Caio Júnior praises Obina and Tardelli and warns that the spot on the team is open: 'It will be a healthy competition,' announces the commander
Eduardo Peixoto From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro
Caio Júnior gives hope to Tardelli and Obina
A goal drought, intolerance from Flamengo fans, and pain in his right foot. Souza's form hasn't been great. And the news could be even worse for him. Coach Caio Júnior delivers the message: the competition for a starting spot is wide open, and the contenders are on equal footing.
Last Wednesday, Souza stayed in the physical therapy room while his teammates held their first training session under Caio Júnior. Diego Tardelli and, especially, Obina took advantage of the opportunity and received praise from the coach.
"If he (Souza) doesn't train, he's in danger. Obina performed very well in the starting lineup. Tardelli came in with personality on Sunday and also performed well in the group. The competition is open and will be healthy," he says.
Souza hasn't scored in eight games. His last goal came on March 22nd, against Cabofriense. In the iconic match against América-MEX, he missed clear opportunities and left the field to boos from the fans. He received a vote of confidence, psychological support, and was once again a starter in the Brazilian Championship opener. Once again, he failed to score.
"A striker can be important even without scoring. But I, having played that position, know that anxiety gets in the way," says Caio Júnior.
Flamengo returns to action next Sunday against Grêmio in the Brazilian Championship. The match will be played at the Olímpico Stadium.
Forgotten, Gavilán evaluates his situation at Rubro-Negro and thinks about leaving
The Paraguayan trains with Flamengo's third team, but dreams of competing in the next World Cup. Therefore, he intends to look for another club.
Eduardo Peixoto From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro
Gavilán had few opportunities at Flamengo
Caio Júnior's first training session as Flamengo's manager confirmed a reality for Gavilán: he's losing prestige at Gávea. The former World Cup player found himself in the Flamengo's third-string squad, a mix of underused players and juniors. Not even the automatic renewal of his contract, which was due to expire in April and was extended until the end of June, could cheer him up.
The Paraguayan plans to return to the national team. To do so, he says he can no longer remain without playing. He expressed sadness that his participation will be limited to training.
"I don't know how good it was to renew the contract. The change (Joel's departure and Caio Júnior's arrival) gave me hope, but it's still too early. There's no point in having a contract and not having opportunities. Those who are out are forgotten and have a lot to lose. There's no point in the company paying me to just train. Money isn't everything. I have goals, like returning to the national team and competing in the World Cup," says Gavilán.
Joel Santana gave the player few opportunities, and the board renewed his contract out of respect for his "professionalism." The hope is that he receives offers to leave Gávea. Caio Júnior seems to agree. He says he can't judge Gavilán based on one training session and added Éder to the list of those who could leave the club.
"Their evaluation should have been done beforehand. I'm not going to evaluate anyone based on just one training session. Gavilán has great character, he's a good team player, and he trains the same way. But I can't speak for just one training session," the coach declares.
The coach has reduced the squad to 29 players in recent days. Colace is no longer in the group, as are players returning from loan spells.
PHOTO: Fla customizes training shirt
Players now have names on their uniforms. Fixed numbering in games is over.
Eduardo Peixoto From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro
Flamengo's elimination from the Copa Libertadores marked the end of fixed numbering in matches. Interestingly, this Wednesday, the club debuted personalized training uniforms featuring players' names.
Ronaldo Angelim unmasks the reserve team's 'prank' in training at Gávea\ For ten minutes, the team managed by Adílio plays with 12 men and blocks the starters\
Eduardo Peixoto From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro
Ronaldo Angelim looked this way, that way, and complained, "Caio, there's always a player from the other team left over." His complaint made sense. Flamengo's team, a mix of juniors and reserves, mistakenly played with 12 players for about ten minutes in the training session held Wednesday afternoon in Gávea. The "prank" was only discovered because of the defender's attention.
"Adílio's (youth coach) team had 11 men on the line, and Angelim discovered it. That shows how intelligent he is," says coach Caio Júnior.
During his "turbocharged" performance, the youth team managed to shut down their opponents. But as soon as the 12th player left, the starters secured a 3-0 victory. Captain Fábio Luciano's return, having recovered from thigh pain, drew praise from the coach.
"Fábio talks a lot and provides a lot of confidence in aerial play. We were able to observe a lot in this activity. We're going to strengthen the group," says the Flamengo coach.
THROW
Gavilán opens up about his situation at Fla
Midfielder hopes to play with Caio Júnior
LANCEPRESS!
Caio Júnior's arrival brought hope to Gavilán. The Paraguayan barely played for Flamengo (five games) and expressed dissatisfaction with his situation. Having signed a risky contract with the club, the midfielder extended his contract for another three months, remaining until mid-5, when he can either renew or not until the end of the year. However, he doesn't rule out leaving Gávea if he continues to miss out on playing time under the new coach.
"I don't know how good it was for my contract to be renewed. But Caio's arrival could open up some hope. There's no point in having a contract without opportunities. Flamengo has mature people who realize that. If I don't get opportunities here, I have to look elsewhere. A company doesn't need to pay you to just train," said Gavilán, who still dreams of playing for the Paraguayan national team and expressed disappointment at not being called up.
Gavilán's situation is similar to Éder's. The striker also has a contract until mid-year and has only played one match for Flamengo. Caio Júnior is keeping an eye on both cases. But the coach wants time to analyze both players.
"Éder's evaluation should have been done earlier. I'm not going to evaluate anyone based on just one training session. Gavilan is in a similar situation. He has a great character, he's a good team player, and he trains the same way. I can't speak for just one training session," said Caio Júnior.
Éder was one of the standout performers in Wednesday's training session. The striker scored both goals for the reserves against the juniors, who were joined by Gavilán.
Caio Júnior performs his first training session for Fla
Coach observes reserves and maintains base assembled by Joel
LANCEPRESS!\ Caio Júnior held his first training session for Flamengo this Wednesday. The training session was divided into two parts. In the first, the reserves played against the juniors. In the second, the starters faced the juniors' reserves. Souza, with pain in the Achilles tendon in his right foot, was rested and only did weight training.\
Caio Júnior took the opportunity to observe some of the players. The team that started the training session was made up of: Paulo Victor, Luizinho, Rodrigo Arroz, Leonardo, and Egídio; Rômulo, Cristian, Jônatas, and Renato Augusto; and Éder and Diego Tardelli.
Then, the starters entered the field with: Bruno, Léo Moura, Fábio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Jaílton, Ibson, Kleberson and Toró; Marcinho and Obina.
For the juniors, Thiago Sales, Gavilán and Vinícius Pacheco played.
Caio Jr. and Gavilán give tips to take on Grêmio
Coach and midfielder played for Flamengo's next opponent
LANCEPRESS!
Flamengo's next match will be on Sunday against Grêmio at the Olímpico Stadium. For this match, the Red-Blacks will rely on the guidance of coach Caio Júnior and midfielder Gavilán, both of whom previously played for the São Paulo club.
"The game against Grêmio will be tough, the stadium will be packed, and we'll face a lot of pressure from both the opponent and the fans. We have to stay calm and manage possession," said Caio Júnior.
Gavilán expressed concern about the new Grêmio team, assembled by coach Celso Roth, and emphasized the need for an organized team to avoid becoming easy prey for Grêmio.
"Because of everything Grêmio has been through, the fans will show up. They'll play like crazy. We need to have a well-positioned team on the field. It's a very different team from last year. Last year's base is more mature. They've revamped a lot," he declared.
Joel's base is maintained by Caio Júnior
The collective team is almost the same as Joel's last game at Fla
LANCEPRESS!
The coach has changed, but the lineup remains the same. Caio Júnior prefers not to change the team's structure at the start of his tenure at Flamengo. The players who participated in Wednesday's training session were practically the same as those from Joel Santana's last game for Flamengo, against América (MEX).
"Maintaining the core is the idea. They're a very solid team, well-positioned, play on the wings, and know what they want," said Caio Júnior, who intends to play Kleberson a little further forward. "He trained very well and understood what I want."
The team that beat the youth team 3-0 on Wednesday (goals from Ibson, Juan, and Obina) only had two changes compared to the 3-0 loss to América at Maracanã. Souza, with pain in his right foot, was rested, and captain Fábio Luciano returned after a pain in his right thigh.
"The concern was that Fábio Luciano wouldn't feel any pain. He's a player who provides security and is an extra man to help with aerial play," the coach praised.
Defeat in the Libertadores is already in the past for Fla
Players say they have learned their lesson but will no longer comment on their exit from the South American tournament.
LANCEPRESS!
For Flamengo's players, their elimination from the Copa Libertadores to América (MEX) on the 7th is already a thing of the past. The elimination from the South American competition is still being discussed behind the scenes at Gávea, but the squad has used it as a lesson for the future.
"Everything in life serves as a learning experience. And this elimination was yet another. Despite being young, I've already learned a lot. There's no point in dwelling on the loss to América or the state title," explained Renato Augusto.
The player recalled that even winning the Campeonato Carioca must be left behind and the team's focus must be solely on the Brasileirão.
Midfielder Kleberson received support from his family to help him forget the tragic incident at Maracanã. But for him, the defeat was a fluke and shouldn't affect the team's approach to work.
- We can't stop living our lives normally - he concluded.
Renato Augusto is thrilled with Caio's arrival
For the player, athletes who had not been given a chance gain greater motivation in training
Renato Augusto could return to Fla's starting lineup (Credit: Gilvan de Souza)
LANCEPRESS!
Supporter Renato Augusto was one of several Flamengo players who celebrated the arrival of coach Caio Júnior as the team's manager. The player, who was absent with a right leg injury, noted that this serves as an incentive for athletes who hadn't been getting a chance during Joel Santana's time.
"The arrival of a new coach always motivates the group. Those who haven't been used want a chance, and those who have been performing don't want to leave," the supporter stated.
Despite the opportunity, the player is cautious about Caio Júnior's arrival and also avoids comparisons to coach Joel Santana, with whom he had no problems.
radio l! - So far, I've worked very little with Caio. Every coach has their own way of working. We need to respect his approach and understand what he wants - he concluded. (Click and hear more)