THE GLOBE
Joel Santana comes to Toró's defense
Starting defenders return for Wednesday's game against Friburguense
Having been fielded by coach Joel Santana in the second half of Saturday's victory over Cabofriense, midfielder Toró received a yellow card on his first play. When questioned about the play, the coach came to his player's defense.
"He's in a state where it's better to stop and do something else. They're putting an incredible burden on this guy. He's a budding player, a man with no behavioral flaws. He needs help. He has some personal issues he's working through. I didn't see him do anything during the game," said Joel, referring to the tackle that earned Toró a yellow card.
Ibson admits anxiety about having an uncertain future
Flamengo's coach used some intriguing arguments. After comparing Toró to Palmeiras goalkeeper Marcos, who was recently accused of assault, Joel spoke about Toró's kick against Castillo.
"The other day, there was a tackle that didn't even make a lump. Sometimes, we just bump our heads and it makes a lump. But there, not even that. I didn't see that much pressure on Marcos, who is an exemplary athlete," said Joel.
On Wednesday, Flamengo faces Friburguense at Maracanã in the Taça Rio. Joel is expected to field the starting lineup, with the return of defenders Fábio Luciano and Ronaldo Angelim. A win on Wednesday and another on Saturday, over Madureira, also at Maracanã, would virtually secure the team's place in the semifinals.
Ibson, who had expressed dismay at not having been contacted by Flamengo's board to discuss his future, admitted he was anxious. His loan to Flamengo ends in June, after which he would return to Porto.
Although Flamengo's board has all the travel logistics prepared, it harbors a faint hope of not facing Cienciano in Cuzco for the Copa Libertadores. The club hopes the altitude issue will be discussed at a CONMEBOL Executive Committee meeting on April 3rd.
Basketball
Undefeated, Flamengo wins its 15th game in the National Championship
Rubro-negro beats Saldanha da Gama by 90 to 59, in Vitória
VICTORY. Flamengo won another match in the National Men's Basketball Championship. Yesterday, the team from Gávea defeated Saldanha da Gama (ES) in Vitória, 90-59 (44-27 in the first half), and extended its lead as the undefeated leader of the competition, with 15 wins in 15 matches. In second place is Minas, with 12 wins and four losses; and in third place is Universo/Brasília (DF), with ten wins in 14 games.
"We improved our defense significantly compared to Friday's match against Cetaf (an 80-78 victory). With efficient marking, the attack was more productive, and we were able to set the pace from the start," explained Rubro-Negro coach Paulo Chupeta, who emphasized the importance of the reserves. "We used all our players, and those who came on didn't let the standard of play drop, securing another great victory."
The top scorer and standout player of the game was Flamengo's forward/guard Marcelinho, with 21 points, 15 rebounds and five assists. For him, the defense also made the difference:
- Our defense started working very well again, better positioned and with a more aggressive stance.
On Friday, the Rio de Janeiro team hosts Ciser/Univille/Joinville (SC), in Rio.
SPORTS JOURNAL
The week of classification in Fla
Joel says that if the team beats Friburguense and Madureira, it will guarantee a place in the semifinals of the Taça Rio.
Nathan de Lima
For Joel, Flamengo's group must be fully focused on the matches against Friburguense and Madureira, which could determine qualification for the semifinals of the Taça Rio.
Even though Flamengo is competing in the Copa Libertadores, it doesn't want to miss out on the chance to qualify for the Taça Rio semifinals. Therefore, the team continues its decisive week to secure the coveted spot in the second phase of the competition.
After the good 2-0 victory over Cabofriense last Saturday, at Maracanã, the team led by coach Joel Santana returns to training this afternoon, at Gávea, confident that if they continue to do a serious job they can easily get past Fribruguense, on Wednesday, and Madureira, next Saturday.
The "decisive week of the Rio Cup," as Joel Santana described it, began with the victory against Cabofriense and ends with the match against Madureira. According to the red-and-black coach, if the team can win these matches, they will already be qualified for the match against Vasco, which would allow them to rest some key players for the derby ahead of the Libertadores match against Cienciano, in the high altitude of Cuzco.
Despite counting on these six more points that will be contested this week, Joel Santana does not believe that Flamengo will find it easy in either of the two matches.
"Our goal is to win our matches so we can go into Vasco in a more comfortable position. If we can achieve that, I think we'll already be qualified. But Friburguense has a good team, with very high-quality players, and Madureira is an experienced team," said Joel Santana.
The calm atmosphere in Gávea today is completely different from the small storm created after the loss to Uruguay's Nacional in Montevideo. Joel wants to take advantage of the positive atmosphere to achieve his goals in both the Carioca and the Libertadores.
"We had a little setback, and people were already thinking that all the work we've done here wasn't good enough. We're doing everything right, we had a good preseason, and that will make a difference. Our group is very good, we have a lot of players, and they all get along well," Joel warned.
For the second match of the decisive week, against Fribruguense, the red-and-black coach, who doesn't usually announce his lineups, surprised everyone by announcing after the victory over Cabofriense that he will play at full strength. The team's only absence is defensive midfielder Kléberson, who received his third yellow card in the last match and will serve an automatic suspension.
Two boys will be observed in today's training at Fla
Fans attending Flamengo's training session this afternoon in Gávea will be able to see two more future senior players in action, who will be training with the seniors for the first time. Despite not standing out in last Saturday's 0-0 draw with Cabofriense in the Rio Junior Cup, left-back Léo and defensive midfielder Aírton will be closely watched by coach Joel Santana.
Léozinho, as he's been known since arriving at Flamengo in 2003 after excelling on the Niterói futsal team, is only 20 years old and boasts precise tackling. The young player seems to be aware that this is his big chance.
"I've taken the first step, now I just have to work to establish myself," said the full-back.
Midfielder Airton has been at Flamengo for only three months, joining the club after a partnership with Nova Iguaçu. Strong, skillful, and quick, the 18-year-old quickly charmed youth coach Adílio and now appears to be catching the eye of Joel Santana as well.
While some new players are emerging at Gávea, old prospects are beginning to fade into oblivion. Striker Kayke is once again suspended from the youth squad due to disciplinary issues.
Toró, a marked man
For Joel Santana, supporter Toró is being the victim of unfair criticism from fans and the media.
It's becoming routine. Whenever something bad happens at Flamengo, the fans and the media point to Toró, the supporter. Even in his prime at Flamengo, when he was called up by coach Dunga to the Brazilian national team, everyone criticized the young athlete.
Toró arrived at Flamengo in 2006 after a strange transfer. Considered a great prospect in Fluminense's youth academy, the player failed to establish himself and moved to Gávea, hoping that his new surroundings would help him shine.
At Flamengo, he was forgotten and wasn't even on the team's bench, but with the arrival of coach Joel Santana, the midfielder became an absolute starter, which angered all his critics.
In the match against Cabofriense, last Saturday, Toró received a yellow card that was, at the very least, dubious, which made coach Joel Santana take the opportunity to vent.
"If things continue the way they are, Toró will have to stop playing football and do something else. They're creating a situation for the boy; everything that happens to him becomes a real nightmare, or even a torment. He's only 21 years old and a really nice guy. They say I prefer him, but that's not the case. I care about him because he's a great man and has a bright future ahead of him. The only reason I didn't start with him against Cabofriense was because of that. If he stumbles, everyone would blame the player. Let's stop finding fault with Toró and help him a little too," said the coach.
Joel Santana praises Juan
Flamengo defeated Cabofriense 2-0 last Saturday afternoon and remains on a comfortable path toward qualifying for the Rio Cup semifinals. Joel Santana's team didn't have to work hard to secure the victory, especially since the talent of left-back Juan was the solution to their problems.
The player made the play that led to both of Fla's goals and for that reason was highly praised by Joel at the end of the match.
"Juan was our main offensive weapon. The players were smart in exploiting the left side because they had a well-adapted player who doesn't mark very well. Juan is an attacking player. At Maracanã, we've always managed to score goals. He'll continue to attack, just like Leo Moura," said Joel.
Mengão, the king of the courts
Flamengo wins the National Basketball Championship for the 15th time
Flamengo's players once again made their collective strength their strong point for another victory.
The opponent changes, but the story continues. Flamengo/Petrobras (RJ) defeated Saldanha da Gama (ES) 90-59 (44-27) in Vitória, their fifteenth victory in the National Basketball Championship. The top scorer and standout performer of the match was Flamengo's forward/guard Marcelinho Machado, with 21 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, three rebounds, and 35 efficiency points.
Saldanha's top scorers were Ricardo and Alessandro “Casé”, both with 12 points.
The Rio de Janeiro club returns to action on Friday to face Ciser/Univille/Joinville (SC) in Rio de Janeiro. But before that, the Red-Blacks have an important match against Sol de América of Paraguay in the quarterfinals of the South American League tomorrow at the Tijuca gymnasium.
"We significantly improved our defense compared to Friday's game against Cetaf. With more efficient marking, the attack was more productive, and we were able to dictate the pace of the match from the start. We used all our players, and once again, those who came on kept the standard of play intact, securing another great victory," explained Flamengo coach Paulo Chupeta.
Saldanha: Leandro (6), Alessandro (12), Laurence (11), Daniel and Brian (3). Entered: Ricardo (12), Cristiano (4), Costa (7) and Eddy (4).\ Coach: Ennio Vechi.\
Flamengo: Marcelinho (21), Duda (14), Coloneze (12), Alírio (3) and Hélio (10). Entered: Wagner (5), Fernando (12), Fred (1), Maicon (4) and Amiel (8).\ Coach: Paulo Chupeta.\
THE DAY
Ibson eager for a solution
Rio - Íbson's unstable performances and emotional imbalance have an explanation: after declaring in an interview with the Portuguese press, confirming his return to Porto in June, the player admitted that he is anxious about the situation.
"I try to focus solely on the current situation, on Flamengo. But I'm anxious, I want to resolve everything quickly. I'm going to talk to my agent," said Íbson, who hasn't been performing well and has already been involved in two disputes with Souza and a heated argument with Cristian this season.
In true fatherly style, Joel Santana came to the player's defense and believes that Íbson's continued presence at Gávea is not out of the question. "He's a great player, he grew up here, he's a member of the club. His contract only ends in June, and the board will try everything to get him to stay," the coach stated.
Joel was pleased with his victory over Cabofriense on Saturday. The coach wants the team to earn 12 points in three games: the next matches are against Fribueguense on Wednesday and Madureira on Saturday. "We've achieved 60% of our goal. If we win the next two games, we'll be in a very comfortable position," the coach analyzed.
Against Friburguense, Joel will field a full-strength starting defense, with Fábio Luciano and Ronaldo Angelim returning.
PELENET
Kléberson will miss Flamengo's match against Friburguense
From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\
Flamengo lost Kléberson for this Wednesday's match against Friburguense at 21:45 p.m. at the Maracanã stadium in the Taça Rio, the second round of the State Championship. In the match against Cabofriense (a 2-0 win for Flamengo) on Saturday, the midfielder received his third yellow card and will have to serve an automatic suspension.
Fotocom/Disclosure
Suspended midfielder Kléberson will miss Flamengo's clash with Friburguense
Despite the loss, coach Joel Santana shouldn't have much trouble choosing Kléberson's replacement. Toró, who was overlooked for this Saturday's game, is the preferred choice for the position.
Midfielder Jônatas and forward Obina, who were suspended, are available to the red-and-black manager. However, both are likely to remain as options for the remainder of the match.
Defenders Fábio Luciano and Ronaldo Angelim, who were rested for Saturday, return to the lineup as normal. Leonardo and Thiago Sales are back on the bench.
In this way, Flamengo should face Friburguense with the following formation: Bruno, Leonardo Moura, Fábio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Cristian, Ibson, Toró and Renato Augusto; Marcinho and Souza.
With 12 points in Group A of the Rio Cup, the Rubro-Negro is close to qualifying for the second-round semifinals. In five matches, the team has won four (Resende, Mesquita, Americano, and Cabofriense) and lost only one (Botafogo).
GLOBO ESPORTE
Ibson is already preparing a comeback in Portugal
Midfielder says in an interview with a Portuguese newspaper that he has nothing to prove to the Porto coach
Ibson at Flamengo training
While he says he prefers to stay at Flamengo, midfielder Ibson hasn't ruled out a return to Porto in Portugal and is already hinting at a high-profile return mid-year. Recovering his fine form at Flamengo has opened the eyes of the Portuguese club's management and makes the player feel more valued, although he has grumbled that he hasn't been approached by the Flamengo board yet.
Not even the fact that coach Jesualdo Ferreira, the same one who left him aside, continues to command the Portugal team, discourages Ibson.
"I have nothing to prove to the coach. Everyone knows my worth, so my mission is to convince him that I can be a starter. I want to earn his trust. Much has been said. The truth is, I've never had any problems with him and I hope I never will. What happened was simple. In my opinion, I wasn't used much after the good preseason I had. The injuries didn't help, I wasn't an option, and when I don't play, I get sad," Ibson told the newspaper "Record."
However, from Porto, the person the midfielder admires most is president Pinto da Costa:
"The president was here in Rio, and we didn't even talk about my return, but about the club's current situation. For example, I told him I was very happy to see Pedro Emanuel (33-year-old defender) playing again. I'm happy because I feel he's counting on me. In fact, if that weren't the case, I wouldn't have renewed my two-year contract before the loan to Flamengo."
Connected to Porto
Even at Flamengo, Ibson shows in the interview with the Portuguese newspaper that he has not completely disconnected from Porto:
"There's not much time to keep in touch, since we usually play on Wednesdays and weekends. Still, I usually talk to Helton (former Vasco and Brazilian national team goalkeeper). I know we have a 16-point lead in the league, and I watched the Champions League tie against Schalke 04. What did I think? Clearly, the best team didn't win.
Flamengo wins another in the National Championship
Rubro-Negro reaches 15th consecutive victory and remains undefeated in the Brazilian championship
For the 15th time in 15 games, Flamengo emerged victorious in the Brazilian Basketball Championship. This time, Vitória lost, despite playing at home, but couldn't resist the red-and-black team, winning the match 90-59.
In the next round, Flamengo will host Joinville in Gávea, while Vitória will face Vila Velha at home.
"We significantly improved our defense compared to Friday's match against Vila Velha. With more efficient marking, the offense was more productive, and we were able to dictate the pace of the match from the start. We used all our players, and once again, the players who came on didn't let the standard of play drop, securing another great victory," explained Flamengo coach Paulo Chupeta in a statement released by the Brazilian Basketball Confederation (CBB).
The victory was crucial for the team from Gávea, as it leaves them comfortably atop the competition. Despite the loss (their seventh in the entire competition), Vitória remains among the eight teams that qualify for the quarterfinals.
THROW
Renato Augusto: tenth goal is postponed
In any case, the player's name was shouted by the fans.
Despite not finding the net, Renato Augusto was applauded (Credit: Julio Cesar Guimarães)
LANCEPRESS!
Renato Augusto's tenth career goal was postponed until the next round. The midfielder didn't shine in Saturday's match against Cabofriense, leaving fans wondering whether the number 10 is back on form.
Renato Augusto looked like he would repeat his strong performance against Nacional (URU) in the Libertadores. But his promise was only felt in the opening minutes, which were already crucial for Flamengo's victory.
Playing as a midfielder, Renato Augusto had no trouble finding his place on the field. With quick, short touches, he helped Flamengo dominate Cabofriense early on. His breakthrough came in the seventh minute.
With a beautiful pass to Juan, he initiated the play that resulted in Flamengo's first goal. Renato Augusto tried to do the same to Marcinho, but Marcinho was offside.
Saturday looked like it would be Renato Augusto's day. But the midfielder didn't make his signature individual plays and disappeared from the game. The team felt the impact and suffered a drop in performance, but still managed to score another goal.
In the second half, his participation was even smaller, limited to one shot in the 10th minute. It was a big chance for the midfielder to score his first goal since returning to the field after facial surgery, which forced him to sit out for almost two months.
Tired, he left the field hearing his name chanted by the fans. Not because of yesterday's performance, when he only missed two shots and made three dribbles, but because of the hope for better days.
For Joel Santana, Toró is being persecuted
Rubro-Negro coach says they make a mountain out of a molehill\ LANCEPRESS!\
As soon as he entered the match against Cabofriense this Saturday, midfielder Toró committed a serious foul and received a yellow card. The Flamengo player's nervousness was commented on by coach Joel Santana, who preferred to keep the matter quiet. He believes the midfielder is being targeted.
"Whatever happens now with Toró will become a soap opera, a nightmare, a torment. He's 21 years old, he's still developing, he's important in my system, and he doesn't have any behavioral problems. Let's stop finding fault with Toró and help him a little too," said Joel Santana.
Flamengo ignores possible Peruvian setup
Colonel Bolognesi admits to facilitating for Cienciano in the Libertadores\ LANCEPRESS!\
The possibility that Coronel Bolognesi, with virtually no chance of qualifying for the next stage of the Libertadores, could make things easier for Cienciano in next Tuesday's match didn't faze Flamengo's management. According to Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, what happens in the Peruvian derby is a concern that should be left solely to the South American Football Confederation.
"We have nothing to do with it. There's an organization that organizes the competition and is attentive to every detail. Flamengo can't do anything," he warns.
In any case, coach Joel Santana is counting on the help of Colonel Bolognesi in the game against Cienciano.
– This is a very important game for our plans – he summarized.