The Globe
Fla sets bolt to face Grêmio in the South
Ney advances Renato Augusto and reinforces midfield with Cristian
In the past, Flamengo played in the South with the ease of a home team. But in the match against Grêmio at the Olympic Stadium at 16 p.m., the key move is to avoid losing and end a seven-game winless streak. To that end, Flamengo, coming off a 2-1 loss to Paraná, has the return of defenders Irineu and Ronaldo Angelim and the debut of midfielder Cristian.
With Cristian's arrival in midfield, coach Ney Franco decided to make changes to the attack. He removed Leonardo and moved Renato Augusto forward to play alongside Souza in attack, a change that strengthens the midfield because Renato Augusto also drops back to help defend. The favorite Obina comes on in the second half.
While Flamengo is winless and sits in the relegation zone with eight points, Grêmio is enjoying a comfortable atmosphere. With Thursday's 0-0 draw with Goiás, the Tricolor jumped to 18 points. The Tricolor will be without its key player, midfielder Diego Souza, who is suspended. However, top scorer Tuta returns.
Referee: Elvecio Zequetto (MS).
BROADCAST: TV Globo and Rádio Globo
Fernando Calazans
By the way, since we're back to football today, albeit with an eye on the Pan American Games, who knows how to pass the ball to the Flamengo team, the one that lost to Paraná in the middle of the week?
You, dear Flamengo fans, can't imagine the number of emails I received from your fellow fans, criticizing players, coaches, directors, everyone. If I had written all that, those very same fans, the authors of the text, would still be slandering me. But since they're Flamengo fans themselves, it's okay...
Let's see how the team that doesn't get through today against Grêmio, in the South, does.
Renato Mauricio Prado
Wasted time?
Flamengo had only 12 days of training between their last Brazilian Championship game before the start of the Pan-American Games and this match against Paraná. It was practically a new preseason! How is it possible that, after so much time preparing, the red-and-black team returned playing so poorly? That's seven consecutive games without a win! What a mediocre campaign!
Not even having three fewer rounds than most others can dispel the specter of relegation from Gávea. The way things are going, the red-and-blacks' suffering will last the entire tournament.
The excuse that the team went several rounds without Renato Augusto (who was at the U-20 World Cup) and goalkeeper Bruno (who was about to leave) does not absolve Fla.
Clubs with much more modest (and cheaper) squads perform infinitely better. It's high time Ney Franco got this team right.
Roger and Ibson (who will only be legally eligible to debut in August) could even add quality to the midfield. But if the team isn't tactically sound, neither of them will work miracles.
By the way: today's game, against Mano Menezes's fierce Grêmio, at the Olímpico, is dangerous...
Sports Journal
Ney Franco: "We have to win at the Olímpico
Coach Ney Franco believes Flamengo must seek a victory over Grêmio in this afternoon's match at the Olímpico Stadium in Porto Alegre. His team has gone two months without a win in the Brazilian Championship and finds itself in the relegation zone.
"We have to recover. We lost three points in a match where we were at home. We have to get these points back, and to do that, we have to win away from home. We hope to get this victory at the Olímpico," declared Ney Franco at the hotel where Flamengo is staying in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
Flamengo and Cruzeiro will play in the final of the Macaé Under-17 Cup
Flamengo beat Fluminense in the semi-final of the Copa Macaé Sub-17 by 4 to 3, in the penalty shootout, after drawing in normal time by 2 to 2.
Tomorrow, Sunday, at 10 am, they face Cruzeiro, winner of the other semi-final, in the Cup final.
MATCH SHEET\ FLAMENGO 2 X 2 FLUMINENSE (PENALTIES: FLA 4 X 3)\ Date/Time: 21/07/2007 – 11:XNUMX AM\ Location: Expedicionário Stadium\ Referee: Luis Carlos Gavazzi\ Assistants: Luiz Henrique Monteiro Vilela and Gelson da Silva Ferraz\ Yellow cards: Michel and Guilherme Camacho (FLA); Dudu, Dalton, Arthur, João Paulo, Bruno Neves and Walandy (FLU)\ Red cards: Diego and Michel (FLA); Dalton (FLU)\ Flamengo: Diego; Rafael, Michel, Fabrício and Christiano; Lenon, Hugo (Douglas), Bruno Paulo and Guilherme Camacho (Vitor Saba); Vinícius Paquetá (Diego Maurício) and Felipe (Lucas). Coach: Rogério Lourenço.\ Fluminense: Paulo; Dudu, Dalton, Arthur (Brayan) and João Paulo; Leo (Ferreira), Heitor, Bruno Neves (Raphael) and Walandy (Isaiah); Dori and Maurício. Coach: Amilton Oliveira.\
O Dia
Starting defender returns to Flamengo
Ronaldo Angelim and Irineu enter to try to stop Grêmio in the South
Rio - Reusing defenders Ronaldo Angelim and Irineu is the only change coach Ney Franco will make to Flamengo's lineup for today's match against Grêmio, at 16 p.m., at the Olímpico stadium. After serving suspensions, they replace Rodrigo Arroz and Thiago, who will be on the bench.
Also on the bench is midfielder Cristian, who arrived from Atlético-PR in exchange for Claiton. He doesn't hide his excitement about his potential debut. "I'm looking forward to wearing the Flamengo jersey and helping the team."
With eight points, Flamengo needs a good result to breathe a sigh of relief and start a run to escape the relegation zone in the Brazilian Championship. The team hasn't won in seven matches.
Another defeat could complicate coach Ney Franco's life. He received praise from the club's management on Friday, but he knows another failure could make his situation untenable, as fans have been protesting against him.
At Grêmio, Tuta, having recovered from injury, is available to coach Mano Menezes. The coach hopes the striker can solve the attack's problems, which have only scored 10 goals in 12 games.
Diego Souza, one of the standout players for the Gaucho team, is out because he received his third yellow card in Thursday's game, when Grêmio drew 0-0 with Goiás at Serra Dourada.
Sports Gazette
To avoid crisis, Flamengo faces Grêmio in Porto Alegre\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo visits Grêmio this Sunday at 16 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Olímpico Stadium in Porto Alegre for the 13th round of the Brazilian Championship, a true clash of opposites. Flamengo, coming off a 2-1 loss to Paraná Clube, hasn't won since the second round and sits in the relegation zone with eight points. The only positive is having played three games less than most of its competitors. Flamengo, on the other hand, has been improving since losing the Copa Libertadores and, with 18 points, is already dreaming of closing in on the top spot.
Flamengo coach Ney Franco is trying to keep his nerves in check and dismisses any sense of panic or despair over the current standings. For him, the most important thing right now is for the red-and-blacks to secure a positive result to ease their unfavorable situation.
"Flamengo is still in a difficult situation, but people need to analyze the table and realize that the concern isn't that we only have eight points, but rather that we're not winning. We've only won one game in this Brazilian Championship, and our performance needs to improve. But if we can get a significant result, everything changes, and that could happen as early as this Sunday," said the coach.
The coach explained that the delicate situation in the Brazilian Championship table forces his team to adopt a more attacking stance in the South. "We know that facing Grêmio in Porto Alegre is always very difficult, and we can't think of anything other than a victory. Our position doesn't allow us to celebrate a draw, which would be a good result under other circumstances. But the important thing is to seek victory."
For this match, the coach will have his starting center-back duo, Irineu and Ronaldo Angelim, back. Both were suspended against Paraná. Thiago Gosling and Rodrigo Arroz will return to the bench.
Grêmio coach Mano Menezes said there's no ideal formula for facing an opponent going through a difficult period. But he revealed that, for him, it would be much better to play Flamengo if the Rio de Janeiro team were out of the relegation zone.
"I have no doubt that Flamengo will enter the field more aggressively because they need a positive result and because they're under a lot of pressure on the field. That's why it would be better to face them in different conditions. But we'll have to know how to take advantage of their opponent's desperation and go all out in search of victory," said Mano.
The coach considers a win this Sunday crucial. "We're climbing the rankings precisely because we're doing our homework and scoring points away from home. Therefore, in the Brasileirão, dropping points at home is suicide," said the coach of the Tricolor Gaúcho.
Midfielder Diego Souza will be missing for this match, having received his third yellow card in the goalless draw with Flamengo and will be suspended. Gavilán, who served an automatic suspension in the match against Goiás, will replace him. The team will also have an important return. Out of the lineup since the Copa Libertadores final, center forward Tuta is expected to return, having recovered from an injury.
PeléNet
Grêmio, aiming for the top spot, hosts a desperate Flamengo
From the Editorial Office\In Porto Alegre\
In opposite situations in the Brazilian Championship, Grêmio and Flamengo face off in a national derby this Sunday at 16 p.m. at the Olímpico stadium. The Rio Grande do Sul team, unbeaten in six rounds, is seeking a victory to move closer to the top of the standings. On the other side, the Rio de Janeiro club is desperately in the relegation zone, having not won since May 20th, and needs to rally in the South to stave off the crisis.
Two clubs with long histories are in opposite directions, and both know the importance of a good result in this round for their competition aspirations. The Tricolor Gaúcho, in seventh place with 18 points, could enter the group that qualifies for the Copa Libertadores da América, in addition to closing in on the leader (Botafogo, with 24).
Coach Ney Franco's team, on the other hand, arrives in Porto Alegre needing to recover to avoid relegation and a crisis within the club. In 18th place, they have only eight points so far—but they have three games in hand over most of their opponents—and even with a win this Sunday, they won't be out of the danger zone.
In this match, coach Mano Menezes will once again use a center forward. Tuta, recovered from a muscle injury and a broken nose, will take Everton's place. "I have a good record against Flamengo. When I was at Fluminense, I scored seven goals in seven games," recalled the experienced striker.
Two other key players are expected to return to the starting lineup. Midfielder Tcheco, in good physical condition, could start, and defensive midfielder Gavilán, who was suspended, is also available. The bad news is Diego Souza, who received his third yellow card and will be out.
For the match in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Ney Franco will have his starting central defense back. Irineu and Ronaldo Angelim, suspended in Thursday's 2-1 loss to Paraná, will be in the squad. Forward Obina, who returned to the field after a long period of treatment for a left knee injury suffered on February 25th, is likely to play.
"I came back strong (on Thursday), but it wasn't worth it considering our team's performance. I hope this setback serves as a learning experience so we don't lose any more precious points," Obina commented. However, the striker is likely to remain as an option for the remainder of the game.
Souza hopes to end his drought with the help of Flamengo reinforcements
Without scoring a goal in over two months, striker Souza believes he may be close to ending his "drought." He hopes to end his drought with the help of two reinforcements recently signed by Flamengo.
"Roger and Ibson are very high-quality players. I'm sure that the arrival of these players will make things easier for us up front," said Flamengo's number 9 in an interview with Rádio Tupi.
The undisputed top scorer in the last Brazilian Championship, with 17 goals, Souza has yet to score in this year's Série A. In fact, he hasn't scored since May 6th, when he scored in the Rio State Championship final against Botafogo. However, if he hopes to end his drought with the help of reinforcements, he'll have to wait a little longer.
That's because Ibson will only be able to debut on August 3rd, as he arrived from abroad - he was playing for Porto-POR. Roger, who arrived from Corinthians, has no legal impediments to playing before then. However, he's not expected to make his first appearance for the red-and-black team until July 29th, against his former team, because he's still lacking rhythm - he hasn't played in over three months.
Meanwhile, Souza is trying to end his drought to maintain his starting spot. After all, he's once again facing competition from Obina. Last Thursday, against Paraná in the Brazilian Championship, the striker returned to the team after nearly five months out due to a serious knee injury suffered on February 25th.
"Since I arrived at Flamengo, I've fought to be a starter. The squad has good attackers like Obina, Leonardo and Paulo Sérgio, but I'm confident I'll secure my place," commented Souza.
BalloonSport
Souza recognizes that the moment is not good
Striker admits he needs to improve and seeks to use the game against Grêmio to rehabilitate himself
AGÊNCIA O GLOBO\ Souza knows he will need to show his talent to remain as Fla's starter\
Having not scored for Flamengo since the State Championship final against Botafogo on May 6th, and with Obina's shadow looming over him, striker Souza feels uncomfortable with the long drought, but is at peace. The player, who only played four Brazilian Championship matches, acknowledged that his performance dropped significantly after the State Championship final and that he is lacking in this early season.
"I had a good time when I arrived, scoring goals and deciding several matches. But at the start of the Brazilian Championship, I'm not doing well and I'm not scoring goals, but I hope to shake off this bad streak as soon as possible," he said.
Gávea Wall is graffitied by vandals
Coach Ney Franco was the target of protests from fans dissatisfied with the team
Flamengo's poor performance in the Brazilian Championship has led fans to commit an act of vandalism. This Friday, the wall of the club's headquarters in Gávea was graffitied with the words: "Out with Ney Weak. Incompetent and stupid!"
The decision is motivated by the team's poor form, currently sitting in 18th place in the Brasileirão, with just eight points from nine games. Furthermore, they haven't won a competitive match in two months. This Sunday, Flamengo will face Grêmio at 16 pm at the Olímpico Stadium in Porto Alegre.
Throw
Ney Franco is calm despite the pressure
Coach says there's no point in despairing over the bad situation
Rodrigo Benchimol
Flamengo's situation in the Brazilian Championship is dire. The team sits in 18th place, with just eight points from nine games. This Friday, the walls of the club's headquarters were graffitied with slogans opposing coach Ney Franco's continued leadership of the club.
Despite all the pressure, the coach remains calm. Two months without a win don't seem to have changed Ney Franco's Minas Gerais style.
"We don't have to come here and express our concerns. I'm not going to bring that into work. One of the basic principles of football is to work. And anyone who follows our day-to-day activities can see that we're doing just that," the coach stated.
To escape its current predicament, Flamengo will have to do away from home what it failed to do when it played at home against Paraná in Uberlândia: win. Flamengo faces Grêmio at the Olympic Stadium this Sunday at 16 p.m.
"We dropped three points against Paraná, in a game where we were at home. The only way to recover those lost points is with an away win. The players are aware of the situation," he said.
Ney doesn't reveal the team that will face Grêmio
The coach will have the return of the defensive duo and may field Cristian
Rodrigo Benchimol
Flamengo trained this Saturday morning at Internacional's training center in Porto Alegre for Sunday's match against Grêmio. Coach Ney Franco will have suspended players back and can count on newly signed midfielder Cristian.
The increase in options for selecting the team means that Ney Franco prefers to only announce the lineup moments before the match.
"We'll have Irineu and Angelim back and the possibility of starting Cristian. But I'll only announce the lineup in the locker room, as I still have some doubts," said Ney.
Ney Franco believes in victory at the Olympics\ LANCEPRESS!\
Flamengo's two-month winless streak is a major concern for coach Ney Franco. Despite the poor streak, the Flamengo coach is looking for ways to break out of the uncomfortable situation against Grêmio in Porto Alegre this Sunday in the Brasileirão.
"We're at a point where we have to bounce back. We've lost three points at home. The best way to get those points back is to win away from home. We hope to enter the Olímpico with determination and achieve victory," he says.
Cristian trains well and could debut for Fla
The steering wheel is physically well and says the atmosphere is good in Gávea\ LANCEPRESS!\
Midfielder Cristian could make his Flamengo debut in this Sunday's match against Grêmio at the Olympic Stadium. The player's situation has already been resolved with the CBF, and he trained with ease this Saturday.
"I've been playing for Atlético-PR regularly. I'm well prepared physically. It was my first training session, and I have to learn how Flamengo plays as quickly as possible," said Cristian.
Less than a week into his tenure at the club, Cristian is already feeling settled in at Gávea. He was traded for Clayton, who went to Atlético-PR.
- The staff welcomed me well - praises the steering wheel.
José Carlos Araújo Blog
YOU HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT
I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM MARILENE DABUS, FROM FLAMENGO, SAYING THAT THE BLACK AND RUBRON, IN THIS PAN, HAS MORE MEDALS THAN ARGENTINA. AND LOOK, SHE IS COMPLETELY RIGHT. WITH THE GYMNASTS, ONLY YESTERDAY SHE ACHIEVED THE UNPRECEDENTED GOLD MEDAL IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS. THAT'S WITHOUT COUNTING THE PERFORMANCE OF DIEGO HYPÓLITO, WHO WON TWO GOLD MEDALS, IN ADDITION TO THE SILVER FOR THE TEAM. DANIELE WON BRONZE, ON THE BEAM, IN ADDITION TO THE SILVER FOR THE TEAM. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MEDALISTS, AND TO FLAMENGO, GUYS!
Written by Garotinho on 18/07/2007