The Globe

Fans' anger leaves Ney with one foot out of Fla

Protests make the coach's situation untenable

Márcio Tavares

As in a comic opera, the stage is already set. And, following ritual, the coach will be left to suffer. Echoing the cries of outrage from about 30 fans yesterday afternoon demanding Ney Franco's departure, the board concluded that Flamengo has hit rock bottom, and thus the habeas corpus that sustained the coach at Gávea, where he won three titles, appears to be at an end. One slip-up against América-RN tomorrow in Juiz de Fora, and Ney Franco will be a closed chapter for the club.

Having managed Flamengo for just over a year, Ney faced the most vehement protests due to their last-place finish in the Brazilian Championship. There was a cake decorated with the inscription "15 years," referring to the time since Flamengo had won a Brazilian Championship. Ney was called stupid and incompetent, and heard, in addition to a series of insults, the chorus: "Oh, oh, oh, resign!"

Fans also criticize midfielder Paulinho

That night, key leaders approached Vice President of Football Kleber Leite, demanding Ney's immediate dismissal. The most radical demanded his departure even if he won. Kleber rejected the demand, but the stage is set for his dismissal in the event of a slip-up. The argument: without fan support, the team will sink.

And choosing a replacement promises to be a separate struggle. President Márcio Braga is very fond of Abel, who has reportedly even been informally approached. But Kleber, who adores Joel Santana and has recently been highly complimentary of Zetti, has carte blanche.

Dejected, as he heard the fans chanting Adílio's name and a barrage of insults, Ney, in an emotional interview, said he does not intend to throw in the towel:

- If it were my fault, I would be the first to leave, I would have already made the position available, I would be the first to leave.

One of the few to defend Ney Franco was supervisor Isaías Tinoco, who at night, trying to calm things down, spoke to some fans:

- You have to complain to Souza, who made this whole mess...

Interestingly, striker Souza, who began Flamengo's demise in the South with his childish first-half red card for assaulting an opponent, was largely spared the general ire. The same was true for Irineu, who scored the own goal that gave Grêmio a 1-0 victory the day before yesterday. Supporter Gérson Magrão was much more persecuted and insulted.

Even former favorite Paulinho, who wasn't even on the field in Sunday's loss to Grêmio, was harassed. And in a cruel and demoralizing way. Souza's reaction was different. He spoke to the fans and left as if he hadn't done anything. However, the striker's situation with the board doesn't seem very comfortable. So much so that Kleber Leite made a symptomatic statement.

- We will only talk about Souza after his trial.

Fear that Souza will receive heavy punishment

Souza, who was recently suspended for three games by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) for assaulting a Figueirense player on June 10, is now expected to face a severe suspension. He was sent off for elbowing Tcheco and assaulted the Grêmio player while he was being treated at the sidelines. The fear is that he will be punished like Felipe (formerly of Fluminense), who in 2005 was suspended for 150 days by the same STJD for an assault caught on camera.

Plus, it will hurt your pocket:

- He's going to be fined. A big fine... - Isaiah revealed.

Fernando Calazans

Flamengo no longer makes anyone proud. Twenty, thirty, forty fans—I don't know—went to Gávea to protest yesterday. Many more protested in messages to me. Complaining about everything—and all of them with absolute reason.

Kleber Leite says: "We've hit rock bottom." I don't know where rock bottom is, but Flamengo has already hit rock bottom: it's in last place.

Márcio Braga says, "We have a reasonably good team." We don't, President. The team is very poor, and the President doesn't know it.

But worst of all, the coach is defending Souza, a repeat offender of aggressions and expulsions.

Renato Mauricio Prado

Unacceptable

Flamengo's situation in the Brazilian Championship is ridiculous. In a tournament as lowly as the current one (by far the poorest technically since the adoption of the points system), it's unacceptable that the Rio de Janeiro club is in last place, while Botafogo, Fluminense, and Vasco (beaten by Flamengo in the State Championship) are deservedly vying for the top spots.

I have an excellent personal impression of coach Ney Franco - and it is indisputable that he has been achieving good results up until now: see the victories in the Copa do Brasil and the State Championship.

But it's high time the coach reconsidered his thinking and understood that Flamengo isn't Ipatinga and, therefore, can't play cowardly, with Jaílton, Paulinho, Léo Medeiros, and the like in midfield. Let one of them start (and the rest be reserves), by all means. All together, the sure future is to become a Second Division team...

It's for these and other reasons that fans eagerly await the debuts of Roger and Ibson, and that Renato Augusto returns to his true position: midfield.

Only then will Flamengo be able to escape the lamentable and unacceptable situation in which it finds itself.

This is the easiest Brazilian Championship to compete in, with a good chance of a Libertadores berth. Flamengo is wasting this opportunity through a mix of incompetence and cowardice.

A burning question: isn't there a psychologist in Gávea capable of providing professional and personal support to Souza?

How long will he continue to behave on the field as if he were in a frantic pick-up game between two favela factions?

What he did in the game against Grêmio was absurd - and it's not the first time he's harmed Flamengo by acting this way.

Sports Journal

Ney Franco understands the demonstration of the red-black fans

Coach Ney Franco stated that training took place normally and said he respected the protests from the fans who went to Gávea on Monday afternoon.

"We did the job we were supposed to do. The players and I will leave the club with a sense of accomplishment. The fans are demonstrating peacefully. They're doing what they believe they should," Ney Franco told Rádio Tupi.

In the coach's opinion, the expulsion of striker Souza was unfair and he recalled the influence of Grêmio supporter Tcheco on the refereeing during the match.

"At first, it was an unfair sending-off. Souza didn't throw an elbow. He did knock down the opponent, but it was a yellow card. It's worth remembering that Tcheco refereed the entire first half," said the coach.

Ney Franco was one of the main targets of the red-and-black fans' revolt. Defender Irineu, forward Souza, and midfielder Léo Medeiros were the others "honored."

Roger, Ibson and Maxi perform collectively in Gávea

Obina scores two goals

While the heat was raging outside Gávea, where some fans protested against coach Ney Franco, on the field, the coach led a training session with the reserve players. The starters were doing physical training in the gym.

Obina scored two goals, one of them assisted by midfielder Roger. Ibson played well, and Argentine Maxi, who played for the opposing team, formed a strike partnership with young Paulo Sergio.

This Tuesday, the team travels to Juiz de Fora at 9 a.m. At 16 p.m., the team will train for the game against América-RN.

Kléber Leite says that at Flamengo it's heaven or hell

Flamengo vice president Kleber Leite commented on the hot weather during training on Monday afternoon, when fans protested. The director offered a recipe for the club to experience milder days.

"Today we had a clear demonstration of what Flamengo is all about. There's a fine line between heaven and hell here. This could be the best place in the world, but it could also be the worst place in the world. There's no explanation. We have to erase everything that happened, go out on the field, and win," Kleber Leite told Rádio Tupi.

Kleber Leite noted that with Flamengo's current squad, its current standings are unacceptable. When asked about a possible punishment for striker Souza, who was sent off again and hurt the team, the Flamengo vice-president responded immediately.

"I'll only talk about Souza after the STJD ruling. After the ruling, Souza's case will be studied by the board," the director revealed.

Marcio Braga: 'I'm satisfied with Ney Franco'

Flamengo lost 1-0 to Grêmio at the Olympic Stadium this Sunday and sits in last place in the Brazilian Championship. Despite being bottom of the table and having won only one game in the competition, coach Ney Franco remains highly regarded by the Flamengo board.

"I'm pleased with Ney Franco's work. He's an excellent coach. We won the Copa do Brasil and the Campeonato Carioca, and I have no complaints about him. They need to tell me what's wrong with football. I don't get on the field or pick the team. I need to know what's going on," Marcio Braga told Rádio Brasil.

O Dia

Fans invade Gávea and demand Neymar's departure

Outraged by the flashlight, a group puts up protest banners and demands the coach's dismissal.

Rio - Despite the city's drop in temperatures, things warmed up yesterday in Gávea. Outraged by Flamengo's poor performance in the Brazilian Championship—the team is bottom of the table—dozens of fans from an organized faction held up banners and protested against coach Ney Franco's continued presence, chanting "Oh, oh, oh, resign!"

First, a group of about ten fans met with Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, to demand the departure of defender Irineu, who scored the own goal that gave Grêmio a 1-0 victory last Sunday in Porto Alegre. The conversation began calmly, but eventually, one of the group members got into a heated argument with the Flamengo executive.

Soon after that, another 30 fans went up to the stands at Gávea and held up banners saying 'Out with Ney, weak and incompetent', 'Mengo is great, weak coach' and '15 years without a Brazilian Championship, becoming a laughingstock, nothing but shameless shame'.

Around 16:10 p.m., a Military Police vehicle entered the club to provide security in case fans decided to resort to violence. But the protest ended peacefully, despite widespread anger.

Kléber Leite, in turn, considered the fans' protests normal. For the manager, feeling the warmth of the fans during a turbulent time can be beneficial for the team. "This is Flamengo. Anyone who doesn't adapt can't wear this jersey. Here, the players know heaven and hell, and it's up to them to change this situation. The fans can do whatever they want, as they are our greatest asset. Flamengo can be the best place in the world to work, or the worst. Starting Wednesday, the attitude will be different, and we will beat América-RN," Kléber stated.

Maxi Biancucchi should be Flamengo's new 11

Rio - The new owner of Flamengo's number 11 jersey, which belonged to midfielder Renato, is expected to be Argentine Maxi Biancucchi. The striker, cousin of Barcelona's Lionel Messi, is the most likely candidate to take over Renato's position, as he has moved to the United Arab Emirates.

For now, Maxi is awaiting the opening of the international transfer window so he can register with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and finally play for Flamengo in the Brazilian Championship. The Argentine has been training at Gávea to regain his fitness.

Flamengo's board of directors is running a ticket promotion against América in Natal

The match will take place in the city of Juiz de Fora, next Wednesday

Rio - To escape last place in the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo's board hopes to rely on the strength of the red-and-black fans. For Wednesday's match against América de Natal in Juiz de Fora, the directors decided to run a ticket promotion.

At Gávea, fans will be able to purchase cheaper tickets for this match. Only grandstand tickets will be sold. Prices have already been set and are as follows: full price, R$15,00; and half price, R$7,50.

Flamengo coach considers Souza's expulsion unfair

Commander says Czech supporter influenced the refereeing

Rio - When things are bad, even an attack can be overlooked. After Flamengo's 1-0 loss to Grêmio at the Olympic Stadium, coach Ney Franco came to the defense of striker Souza, who was childishly sent off late in the first half and, in the process, slapped Grêmio supporter Tcheco in the face. According to Ney Franco, who manages the red-and-black team currently bottom of the Brazilian Championship, Souza's red card was unfair.

"In my opinion, Souza's sending off was wrong. Playing against Grêmio at the Olímpico is already difficult. With one player down, it's even more complicated. Tcheco refereed the game the entire time. Everything he called, the referee called," argues Ney Franco.

However, this wasn't the first time Souza had harmed Flamengo. Against Figueirense on June 10th, the striker assaulted Vinícius and received a red card. In the end, Flamengo was defeated 4-0.

Sports Gazette

Souza's expulsion generates discord between Kléber Leite and Ney Franco\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo coach Ney Franco and Kléber Leite, the club's vice president of football, appear to disagree over the red card sent off of Souza, who received a red card for elbowing Grêmio midfielder Tcheco and assaulting an opponent while he was being treated off the field. The coach absolved his player. "I thought the sending off was unfair, since Tcheco refereed the entire match. Furthermore, in the second half, Gavilán made a foul and only received a yellow card," he said.

Kléber Leite, however, maintained his secrecy, but hinted that he wasn't at all pleased with the forward's expulsion, having already been fined last week for leaving a training match in anger over the club's decision to ban some friends from entering. "We'll wait for the Superior Court of Sports Justice's decision. Only then will I make a statement," declared the director, who expects punishment for the player, a repeat offender having already been sent off in the 4-0 defeat to Figueirense.

Meanwhile, the team for the game against América de Natal will be defined this Tuesday, in Juiz de Fora (MG). In addition to Souza, Flamengo will not have the debut of midfielder Roger, who has not had his documentation regularized with the CBF.

Flamengo lives afternoon of charges\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo experienced an afternoon of pressure this Monday, one day after a 1-0 loss to Grêmio in Porto Alegre (RS) in the 13th round of the Brazilian Championship. The result left the Rubro-Negro in last place in the competition. Outraged by the current situation, dozens of fans watched the squad presentation from the stands, chanting slogans against coach Ney Franco, defender Irineu (who scored an own goal on Sunday), midfielder Léo Medeiros, and forward Souza, who was childishly sent off in front of the Grêmio fans. By dawn, graffiti had already been sprayed on the walls of the stadium against the coach, who the fans consider the main culprit.

"Unfortunately, we're having to live with this protest, because Flamengo is a democratic club and allows this kind of thing to happen. I hope the protest continues to be peaceful. It won't be the last, nor the second-to-last, time we see situations like this in football," Ney stated.

The coach avoided commenting on a possible dismissal if they lose again this Wednesday against América de Natal in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. "I don't like to look at things from that perspective. But if I have to win to stay, I'll keep working to stay at the club," emphasized the manager, who arrived at Flamengo in May 2006 and, since then, has won last year's Copa do Brasil and the 2007 Campeonato Carioca.

Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, dismissed Ney Franco's dismissal and preferred to blame the players for the current situation. He delivered a clear message to the squad. "There's a straight line between heaven and hell here. Flamengo can be the best or the worst place in the world to work, and it's up to the players to make it the best," he said.

Flamengo president admits problems\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Known for his excessive optimism and impactful phrases, Flamengo president Márcio Braga hinted that there must be internal problems that are harming the team's performance, which in the weekend round, after the 1-0 loss to Grêmio, at the Estádio Olímpico, in Porto Alegre (RS), dropped to the bottom of the Brazilian Championship.\ The director wants to understand the reasons that are causing the poor performance in the competition and will demand explanations throughout the week from coach Ney Franco and the club's vice president of football, Kléber Leite.\

"Being last in the standings is very bad, because Flamengo doesn't deserve it, given that they have a quality squad, a good structure, and salaries are up to date. Furthermore, the squad had a few days to just train, and nothing justifies Flamengo's position in the standings. We'll need many meetings to identify the problem, because there is a problem," said Márcio Braga.

Flamengo's president has hinted that he is not considering firing Ney Franco, who enjoys prestige with the board, for now. However, pressure from fans is enormous, and this Monday morning, the walls of the Gávea headquarters were graffitied with slogans against the coach, such as "Out with Ney Fraco." Sources close to the football department say Ney will be fired if the team fails to emerge victorious from Wednesday's match at 20:30 pm (Brasília time) against América-RN in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.

"Ney Franco is an excellent coach, so much so that we won the Copa do Brasil last year and the Campeonato Carioca this year under him. But he needs to tell me what's going on, because I don't get on the field or pick the team; I'm just the president," said Márcio Braga.

Despite acknowledging that things aren't going well, Márcio Braga says he's completely confident the team will be able to escape the relegation zone in the coming rounds. He watched the loss to Grêmio and, despite the result, was pleased with the team's performance.

"Of course we're upset, but we're still in a good place right now, as we have the team to get out of this situation and we'll still have important reinforcements, like Ibson and Roger. I watched the game against Grêmio and I don't think Flamengo played badly, especially considering Souza's early misfortune and the fact we were facing a strong opponent. Furthermore, we conceded an own goal in the second half. But Flamengo didn't play badly," said Márcio Braga, who predicted at the start of the Brazilian Championship that Flamengo would win the championship.

PeléNet

Flamengo fans go to Gávea and demand Ney Franco's departure

Marcelo Ferreira\ In Rio de Janeiro\

Gávea was tense on Monday afternoon. Flamengo fans attended the team's training session to protest the team's position in the Brazilian Championship and demand the resignation of coach Ney Franco. About 30 fans from an organized faction held up banners and protested, chanting "ão ão ão, pede demissão" (resign) at the coach.

First, a group of approximately ten fans met with Flamengo's vice-president of football, Kleber Leite, to demand the departure of coach Ney Franco and defender Irineu, who scored the own goal that gave Grêmio a 1-0 victory over the red-black team last Sunday. The conversation began calmly, but in the end, one of the group members argued harshly with the red-black director.

Shortly afterward, about 30 more fans climbed into the stands at Gávea and unfurled banners reading, "Out with Ney, weak and incompetent," "Great Mengo, weak coach," and "15 years without a Brazilian Championship, becoming a laughingstock, nothing but shameless shame." They also chanted, "You popcorn team, it's been 15 years without winning the Brazilian Championship" and sang the club's anthem with their backs to the field.

Around 16:10 p.m., a Military Police vehicle entered the club to provide security in case fans decided to resort to violence. However, the protest ended peacefully.

After speaking with Kléber Leite, some fans met with striker Souza and the club's football supervisor, Isaías Tinoco, to demand a different stance from the team starting next Wednesday, against América-RN.

Souza was sent off in the 1-0 defeat against Grêmio, last Sunday, in the first half of the match, played at the Olimpico stadium, in Porto Alegre.

Flamengo is last in the Brazilian Championship, with just eight points from ten games. Despite having played three fewer games than most teams, the red-and-black team's performance is very poor: they have won 26,7% of the points contested. To put this in perspective, the competition's leader, Botafogo, has a 69,4% success rate.

After five months, Obina starts a match again for Fla

Marcelo Ferreira\ In Rio de Janeiro\ Without forward Souza, who was sent off in last Sunday's loss to Grêmio in Porto Alegre, coach Ney Franco will bring Obina back to Flamengo's starting lineup after nearly five months. The athlete hasn't started an official match since February 25, when he suffered a serious injury to his left knee.\

"We all know that Obina is not yet fit to play 90 minutes, but he will start Wednesday's match. I don't know how long he will be able to play, so I'm going to leave him on the field until he can handle it," said Ney Franco.

On a day of widespread protests in Gávea over the team's recent poor results in the Brazilian Championship, Ney Franco led a training session exclusively for the players who missed the loss to Grêmio. New signings Ibson, Argentine Maxi Biancucchi, and Roger trained normally.

However, the first two will only be able to play starting August 3rd, when the transfer window for players coming from international football opens. Midfielder Roger, meanwhile, has not yet been regularized and is out of the match against América-RN this Wednesday in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.

"We're waiting for Corinthians to send Roger's documentation to the CBF. But I believe it will be good for him not to debut yet, as he will have more time to prepare and this way we won't rush things," revealed Flamengo's vice president of football, Kleber Leite.

This Tuesday, Flamengo heads to the Minas Gerais city at 9 a.m. There, the red-and-black team will hold an afternoon training session, when coach Ney Franco will begin to determine the team that will face América-RN. With just eight points in the Brazilian Championship, the team from Gávea is in last place.

Flamengo director accepts protests and demands payment from the team

Marcelo Ferreira

Irritated by Flamengo's current situation, the club's vice president of football, Kleber Leite, considered the protests by Flamengo fans on Monday afternoon in Gávea to be normal. The director believes that feeling the warmth of the fans during a turbulent time can be beneficial to the team.

"This is Flamengo. Anyone who doesn't adapt can't wear this shirt. Here, the players know heaven and hell, and it's up to them to change the situation. The fans can do whatever they want; they are our greatest asset. Flamengo can be the best place in the world to work, or the worst. Starting Wednesday, the attitude will be different, and we will beat América-RN," said Kleber Leite.

Flamengo, currently in last place in the Brazilian Championship, travels to Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, on Tuesday morning, where they face América, Rio Grande do Norte, on Wednesday. A direct competitor in the relegation zone, a victory against the Rio Grande do Norte team became a must in Gávea.

"We have to erase everything that's happened up until this point, because if we analyze it in practice, we've hit rock bottom and there's no way it can get any worse. With Flamengo's human resources and tradition, this kind of situation can never happen. There's no point in trying to explain what happened; we need to change the situation this Wednesday," concluded the Flamengo director.

The main target of the protests in the stands, coach Ney Franco led training as usual this Monday, but without the presence of the starters who played in the loss to Grêmio. Despite pressure from fans, the coach revealed that he has no plans to resign.

"If I thought the blame for the poor results were solely mine, I would have already made my position available to the board. But right now, I don't believe that's the case. Football is a collective sport, and negative results happen. We need to find out what's wrong and change the situation as soon as possible," said Ney Franco, still amid protests from fans.

"The fans are expressing their frustration and it's their role to protest. This isn't the first time this has happened in football. We would have preferred to be working in a calmer atmosphere, but we were able to focus on our work," concluded the red-and-black coach.

BalloonSport

Souza's situation at Fla gets complicated

STJD punishment and Kléber Leite's statements could shorten the striker's stay

Marcio Iannacca

Striker Souza's situation at Flamengo isn't exactly pleasant in Gávea. Statements by vice-president of football Kléber Leite and the likely punishment imposed by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) could put an end to the player's life at the club. According to prosecutor Paulo Schmitt, it's unlikely the player won't be suspended for the assault on Grêmio midfielder Tcheco.

"The tape has already been requested so we can analyze the incident. The player should be charged with physical assault or violent play. He could even be charged under two separate articles: Article 253, for the elbow, and Article 254, for the assault after the expulsion," Schmitt told GLOBOESPORTE.COM by phone.

If Souza is punished under Article 254 of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD), he could face a two- to six-game suspension. If he's punished under Article 253, he could be sidelined for 120 to 720 days. The striker's trial has not yet been scheduled, but a repeat offense could further jeopardize the player. He was already sent off in this Brazilian Championship, in the match against Figueirense.

In addition to the likely punishment, Kléber Leite's statements also suggest that Souza's days at Flamengo are numbered if he is punished by the CBF tribunal. The director stated in Gávea that he will only discuss punishment for the athlete after the STJD ruling.

- We will only talk about Souza after the trial - says the leader.

Obina is highlighted in Fla's collective

Amid protests from fans, Anjo Negro scores twice in training at Gávea

Marcio Iannacca

Obina scores twice in Flamengo training

Amid fan protests over the club's dismal performance in the Brazilian Championship, striker Obina gave hope to the red-and-blacks who stopped to watch the training session held this Monday at Gávea. The Black Angel scored both goals in his team's victory in the session led by the dejected Ney Franco.

During the activity, Obina had Roger and Ibson on his team. The former even provided a beautiful pass for the Black Angel to score one of his goals. The second was a penalty kick. Ibson, by the way, had excellent movement during the activity.

Argentine Maxi Biancucchi also participated in the training session. He played on the reserve team and formed a strike partnership with Paulo Sérgio. However, the striker will only be able to play for Flamengo starting August 3rd, when the European transfer window opens. The situation with Ibson, signed from Porto, is similar to that of Lionel Messi's cousin.

Kléber Leite: 'We've hit rock bottom' The director says the team needs to forget what happened and focus on the upcoming matches. Márcio Iannacca Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, had a busy Monday. As soon as he arrived at the club, he spoke with eight fans who were protesting the team's performance in the Brazilian Championship. He believes the Red-Blacks can't get any worse and are likely to improve in the national tournament. (Watch the video with highlights from the game against Grêmio).

"This could be the worst place in the world, but it could also be the best. They just need to make Flamengo the best place in the world. It would be interesting to talk about why Flamengo got to this point, but it's not interesting. We have to erase the past and face it with optimism, determination, and discipline. In practical terms, we've hit rock bottom and can't go any lower."

The manager even gave Flamengo the recipe to improve its performance in the Brasileirão. Kléber Leite's defining match was his last in the Copa Libertadores.

"Our team isn't the eighth wonder of the world, but our position in the Brazilian Championship is incompatible with the group we have. Flamengo's spirit from now on should be the same as in their last Libertadores match. We played well against Defensor, but we didn't secure a spot," recalls the manager.

Roger will not face América-RN

Midfielder was not regularized by Fla and does not even travel with the group to Juiz de Fora

Marcio Iannacca

Roger trains very hard in Gávea

Midfielder Roger won't even travel with the group to Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. The player hasn't been regularized by Flamengo and is out of Wednesday's Brazilian Championship match against América-RN. Coach Ney Franco was hoping to have him available, but he'll have to wait until next Sunday's match against Corinthians at Morumbi Stadium.

Roger participated normally in the training session led by the coach this Monday at Gávea. The player performed well, but will only be able to play for Flamengo after being registered with the CBF. The midfielder was signed from Corinthians and has signed a contract until the end of the year.

In addition to Rober, Ibson and Argentine Maxi Biancucchi also participated in the training session. However, the two will only be able to play from August 3rd, when international transfers can be finalized.

Former Vasco player trains at Fla

Rubens, revealed by the rival, undergoes tests in Gávea to find out whether or not he will stay at the club.

Marcio Iannacca

Midfielder Rubens, who came through the ranks at Vasco da Gama, is undergoing a trial period at Gávea. He participated in training led by coach Ney Franco this Monday, but he still doesn't know if he will stay at Flamengo.

The player is an old acquaintance of supervisor Isaías Tinoco, with whom he worked at Vasco in 2003 and 2004. Rubens ended up not succeeding at the club and left the Colina team last year.

"I've been training here for a week. I haven't signed anything. Let's wait and see what happens," says Rubens.

Marcio Braga: 'Everything is very bad'

President admits that there must be some internal problem with the red-black team

Marcio Braga says that Flamengo's position in the Brasileirão is unjustifiable

President Marcio Braga admitted on Monday that there must be some problem with Flamengo for its Brazilian Championship campaign to be so poor. The director will meet with vice president of football Kléber Leite and coach Ney Franco later this Monday to find out why Flamengo is currently in last place in the national tournament.

"Everything is very bad. Flamengo doesn't deserve this. We have a reasonably good team. Salaries are up to date, and the players had a 12-day break without games. Before that, we had a 15-day break for the national team. Nothing justifies Flamengo's current position in the Brazilian Championship," the president states.

The manager asked fans for patience. For Marcio Braga, the addition of Roger and Ibson will help the team in the Brazilian Championship.

"I'm waiting for the return of the South coaching staff and Kléber Leite, and we'll discuss it, trying to identify the problem. There is a problem, that's clear. We have a team that needs to be built. The team will still be strengthened by these two players who were signed. The team is missing Renato. The word to the fans is patience. The football management has the ability to change this situation, and it will," says Marcio Braga, in an interview with Rádio Brasil.

Aerial chaos tires Fla even more

The delegation landed in Rio de Janeiro at around 4 am this Monday

Marcio Iannacca

The Flamengo delegation landed in Rio de Janeiro at 4:20 a.m. this Monday. After waiting hours due to flight delays from Salgado Filho Airport in Porto Alegre, the players and coaching staff were only able to leave for the Marvelous City around 1:XNUMX a.m. The players' exhaustion was evident on their faces upon arrival in Rio.

The chaos on Sunday was so intense that the players returned to their hotel in Porto Alegre immediately after the match against Grêmio ended. The group was waiting for a scheduled departure time for their flight, which was previously scheduled to leave the capital of Rio Grande do Sul at 20 p.m. However, the delegation only arrived at the airport around midnight, leaving the city an hour later.

The players were only allowed to return in the afternoon, when a light training session will be held in Gávea. Coach Ney Franco won't have much time to prepare the team, as the group heads to Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Flamengo will face América-RN at the Municipal Stadium.

The group heads to the Minas Gerais city on Tuesday. However, it's not yet known whether the squad will train in Rio de Janeiro and travel to Juiz de Fora, or whether the pre-match training session will take place in Minas Gerais.

Flamengo sits last in the Brazilian Championship with just eight points. In ten games, coach Ney Franco's team has won one, lost four, and drawn five.

Throw

STJD prosecutor does not intend to ease Souza's pressure

The striker was sent off in the game against Grêmio last Sunday after elbowing Tcheco.

Rodrigo Campos and Rodrigo Mandarini

Flamengo striker Souza's red card in Sunday's 1-0 loss to Grêmio could result in a lengthy suspension. Shortly after elbowing Tcheco and receiving a red card, Souza left the field and attacked the Grêmio player with a "headbutt."

Adding the assault to the fact that he's a repeat offender, having been sent off in this Brazilian Championship against Figueirense, Souza could face a minimum 120-day ban if found guilty. According to Paulo Schmitt, prosecutor for the Superior Court of Sports Justice, everything will depend on the video of the expulsion.

"We'll wait for the report, but we need to request the video to begin the process of filing a complaint. An elbow on the field can be interpreted in two ways: as physical aggression or violent play. The situation off the field is more serious. It falls under Article 253, is a serious offense, and carries a minimum sentence of 120 days," Schmitt explained to Rádio LANCE!.

The fact that referee Elvécio Zequetto did not see the attack or did not include it in the report does not improve Souza's situation.

"If the referee didn't see it, let's go by the footage. These days, that's enough to file a complaint," the prosecutor assured.

The Czech supporter reportedly stated after the game that he fell as soon as he saw Souza's elbow. If the simulation is proven, the Grêmio supporter could be punished.

"Players need to be careful with their statements. We're very strict with images in these cases. Simulation is considered unsportsmanlike behavior. Therefore, the player who simulated is punished. We don't have the right to soften the rules," Schmitt stated.

Kleber Leite adopts rubber policy at Fla

Manager prefers not to comment on the situation of coach Ney Franco

Kleber Leite, Flamengo's vice president of football, considered the fans' protests on Monday to be normal. He recommended that the club adopt what he called a "rubber policy" from now on.

- We have to erase what has happened and face the future with optimism - explained Kleber Leite's theory.

The manager demanded action from his players and recalled the spirit with which Flamengo took the field against Defensor in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 3. After losing 0-2 away, Flamengo won 0-XNUMX and narrowly missed out on qualifying.

"This is Flamengo. There's a fine line between heaven and hell here. It's good for the players to feel this so they can return to heaven. We've hit rock bottom, and it can't get any worse," he said.

Kleber Leite also added that all red-black players must get used to the pressure of wearing the Rubro-Negro shirt.

"Anyone who can't adapt to the pressure shouldn't be here. Flamengo is a democratic process. Our fans are our greatest asset, and we owe them an explanation. They are rightly outraged and hurt. They have the right to protest as they see fit. But as long as they are civil and polite," he concluded.

The manager preferred not to comment on the possibility of firing Ney Franco in the event of a negative result against América-RN, on Wednesday:

- I don't work with hypotheses.

Red-and-black protest ends in Gávea

Club supervisor talks to fans who leave peacefully\ LANCEPRESS!\

The Flamengo fans' protest in Gávea has come to an end. The approximately 30 fans who were chanting slogans against the team's current form peacefully left the club after the conclusion of training on Monday afternoon.

Towards the end of the training session, Flamengo's football supervisor, Isais Tinoco, went up into the stands and spoke for approximately 20 minutes with the red-blacks, who left the club peacefully.

Flamengo's next Brazilian Championship game, this Wednesday, will be against América-RN. Recently signed midfielder Roger will not travel with the group and will not play. His situation has not been regularized.

Ney Franco thinks about Fla's fans\ LANCEPRESS!\

Visibly shaken after receiving criticism from fans, Ney Franco tried to make it clear that his biggest concern is not to harm Flamengo fans.

"I in no way want to harm the great red-and-black fans. We know they're the biggest fans in Brazilian football. I'd have the discernment to know when I'm not doing a good job," he says.

Kleber Leite does not accept Fla's position\ LANCEPRESS!\

For Flamengo's vice-president of football, Kleber Leite, despite being at rock bottom, the Rubro-Negro does not deserve to be in last place in the Brazilian Championship.

- Our squad isn't the best, but it's also not a team that can be in such a bad position - he says.

The manager wants Flamengo to be reborn starting this week and to play with the same determination shown in the finals of the Campeonato Carioca, in which the team bravely beat Botafogo.

Kleber is against giving explanations:

- Football can't be explained, we just have to win on the field - he concludes.