The Globe
Fla tries to get out of the relegation zone today
The red-black team has a good record against Goiás
Photo caption: JUAN, Flamengo's TOP SCORER in this Brazilian Championship (three goals), signs autographs at Gávea: prestige among fans
The advantage is unbelievable: in 40 matches against Goiás, Flamengo has won 19, drawn 16, and lost only five, scoring 57 goals and conceding 33. These numbers reflect a clear superiority, but they don't convince coach Joel Santana. He knows that, with 21 points and still in the relegation zone, Flamengo can't face Goiás (30 points) at 18:10 PM, thinking they'll win based solely on past records or playing at Maracanã. With Atlético-PR's 0-1 loss to Inter, the team leaves the danger zone with a win today. The Paraná team has 23 points.
"It's going to be a tough game, just like it was against Juventude, who only gave us space when they started attacking. They hit the post and thought they could equalize. Then they gave us what we wanted: a counterattack," said Joel.
Joel is a professional who rarely relaxes. Even though he feels the team is improving and victories could return as quickly as they disappeared, he doesn't let his guard down.
"Nothing happened, we haven't done anything yet. We're still in a difficult spot, there's no reason to get excited because we thrashed Juventude. The fans are happy, but one slip and all the chaos is back," he admitted.
In great shape, Juan is one of the red-black team's assets
To avoid a climate of euphoria, the coach warned the players about the danger of complacency during this period of growth. And his players are aware of the importance of maintaining the rhythm. The team's top scorer in this Brazilian Championship, with three goals, Juan makes it clear that Flamengo is still far from enjoying a comfortable situation.
"We're happy with the result and aware that we're closer to leaving the relegation zone, but there's no sense of complacency. We're keeping our feet on the ground," Juan stated. "I'm having the best time of my career. I believe one of the main factors in this is my good physical condition."
Yesterday, Roger, with muscle pain, was vetoed by doctor José Luís Runco.
Flamengo: Bruno, Leonardo Moura, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Romulo, Cristian, Ibson and Leo Medeiros (Toró); Maxi and Souza. Goiás: Harlei, Amaral, Leonardo, Ernando and Vitor; Fabio Bahia, Paulo Baier, Cleber Gaucho and Chiquinho; Elson and Cristian. Referee: Paulo Henrique de Godoy Bezerra (SC).
BROADCAST: Premiere and Rádio Globo
Sports Journal
Fla: The game of affirmation
Flamengo faces Goiás today at Maracanã to shake off its poor run. The new signing could be Léo Medeiros.
Diego Marrul
An important player in the rout over Juventude, midfielder Léo Medeiros will start today, replacing Roger, who is experiencing pain in his thigh.
Flamengo hosts Goiás today at 18:10 p.m. in a match valid for the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship. In addition to their fourth consecutive victory at Maracanã, the Rubro-Negro are looking to escape the relegation zone, an uncomfortable situation they've found themselves in for the past 16 rounds. However, for this to happen, in addition to a win, the team from Gávea must hope for Atlético-PR to lose or draw against Internacional.
Without Roger, who is experiencing pain in his right thigh and was rested by doctor José Luís Runco, Joel Santana is keeping his replacement lineup a secret. However, after his strong performance against Juventude, when he came on in the second half, Léo Medeiros is expected to start. This possibility is reinforced by the fact that the main alternative in midfield, midfielder Renato Augusto, has again experienced pain in his right thigh, where he strained it.
"I'm comfortable with the possibility of starting, as I've been working hard and I know I can do the job. However, I'll respect Joel's decision if he's not in the starting lineup. I'm sure he'll choose the best option," said Léo Medeiros.
The defensive midfielder took the opportunity to comment on the strong performance against Juventude, when he tightened his defense. "I tried to give Juan a little more freedom, and we got an excellent result. The team needed this," he said, referring to the 4-0 rout of the Gauchos.
Confident of securing the three points, the player hopes to once again count on the support of the club's large red-and-black fans. "It will be a tough game, but we're going all out to win. To achieve this, the fans have to be with us the whole time," he emphasized.
Joel's doubt
In addition to Léo Medeiros, Toró, who started against Internacional, is an alternative midfielder. Coach Joel Santana also hinted at the possibility of fielding three strikers, with Maxi Biaccuchi further back, playing in playmaking, and center forwards Obina and Souza further upfield.
"I have this doubt, but I have until the game to decide. What matters is that we have a good squad and everyone is capable of performing well," said the coach.
President Marcio Braga talks about Fla's projects
Flamengo president Marcio Braga was also present at the players' training session to motivate them and speak to the press.
Among other things, the director spoke about the benefits Timemania will bring to the club and to national football. "We'll be able to pay off the club's long-standing tax debt, including INSS (National Institute of Social Security) and FGTS (Future Fund for the Severance Indemnity Fund), with the federal government. That's why Timemania is important. We have several club buildings under foreclosure, including Ninho do Urubu itself. A club the size of Flamengo can't afford to be in this situation," he confessed.
Already thinking about Flamengo's future, the president confirmed that the entire football department will move to Ninho do Urubu in Vargem Grande and, after many years, will leave Gávea. "All football will move to Vargem Grande, Ninho do Urubu, and the entire professional department will move to São Conrado. Furthermore, we will begin the Gávea revitalization project, with the renovation of the stadium, restoration of the Olympic park, expansion of the social headquarters, and construction of the rowing center of excellence. We also need to undertake institutional reform, an amendment to the club's bylaws, especially revamping the club's boards," stated Marcio, who also spoke about the team's current difficult situation in this year's Brazilian Championship.
"We're getting there. I never doubted we would improve. We have a very good squad to stay where we were. The goalkeepers, our full-backs are very good—in short, the entire squad. We really want to get further ahead, into the South American or even the Libertadores," he concluded.
Fla will officially support Timemania
Flamengo will formalize its participation in Timemania in the coming days. Within ten days, the lawyer Flamengo has appointed to handle the details of the lottery's participation must confirm acceptance of the contract terms.
“We are adjusting some things, like the debt acknowledgment,” said President Márcio Braga.
New headache for Souza
Striker Souza will be tried next Thursday, again by the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD), for his expulsion in the match against Grêmio. At the time, the player received a red card for exchanging blows with midfielder Tcheco, of the Tricolor Gaúcho team, and was subsequently punished by the court and sentenced to a five-game suspension. The red-and-black athlete thought he had already gotten over the problem.
"Here comes this headache again, but I hope there's nothing serious in this trial. I'm going there and nothing will happen," said the striker.
Roger will be out of the team against Goiás
Diego Marrul and Tiago da Costa
Coach Joel Santana will be without midfielder Roger for the match against Goiás this Sunday, in the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship. During training on Saturday morning at Gávea, the player felt the pain in his thigh that forced him to miss Thursday's match, in which Flamengo defeated Juventude 4-0. Leo Medeiros is expected to take the spot in the Flamengo midfield.
Another person who has suffered from muscle problems again is Renato Augusto. However, both he and Roger are not under the control of the club's medical department and are working out in the weight room.
Marcos de Castro
Changing the subject: the fans are truly wise, "Obina is better than Eto'o!" Against Juventude, he played only 45 minutes and scored an impeccable goal, heading it down in the six-yard box, and provided a rare pass for the excellent Maxi to score another. Better than Eto'o, yes!
O Dia
Flamengo: The best option is the left
Juan, a standout against Juventude, will be a weapon to break through Goiás' defense
Marluci Martins
Rio - Among the paths that could lead Flamengo out of the Brasileirão relegation zone, one of them involves the left side of the field: full-back Juan. In the best form of his career, he's been driving the team down the left, toward goal, and against Goiás, starting at 18:10 PM, at the Maracanã, he hopes it won't be any different.
"I'm going through the best phase I've had since arriving in Rio. The hardest and most important thing for me is to maintain that," said Juan.
After two and a half years with Arsenal's B team, the full-back arrived in Rio in 2004. Until then, he had only played for one Brazilian team, São Paulo. Fluminense was the gateway for his return.
But it was at Flamengo that Juan settled, starting in January of last year. "I left Brazil at 19, and until then, I wasn't known. I knew that at Arsenal, I wouldn't make it to the professional team, and I preferred to make my name in Brazil," explained the Flamengo full-back.
At 25, Juan has already endured so many twists of fate that he no longer deludes himself. He has both feet on the ground, ready to pave the way for Flamengo, and also to keep it from soaring too high.
"It feels like we're not even in the relegation zone, right? It seems like everything's going great... But that's not quite the case. We can't get complacent about winning, nor think everything's wrong when we lose a game," he said realistically, complaining about the exaggerated enthusiasm that took hold after the 4-0 thrashing of Juventude.
CONTRACT RENEWAL
Juan is one of Flamengo's most consistent players today. She attributes her good form to excellent physical conditioning and is waiting for Flamengo to make her a good offer for an early renewal of her contract, which expires at the end of 2008.
"We agreed to talk. They'll call me for a meeting any day now. I'm just waiting. I really want to stay at Flamengo," said the player, who identified with the club's jersey and could once again be the difference-maker in the match against Goiás.
Sports Gazette
Against Goiás, Flamengo tries to play at Maracanã\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Excited about the opportunity to escape the relegation zone in the Brazilian Championship for the first time in a long time, Flamengo hosts Goiás this Sunday at 18:10 pm at Maracanã, where the Rubro-Negro have won their last three matches and will play their next four. The Rio de Janeiro team has 21 points in the standings. The team from the Central-West region, excited about qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana, currently sits on 30 points in the Brazilian Championship and needs a win to stay close to the top four.\ Despite being confident about the team's progress in recent games, having won three of their last four matches, the Flamengo players are trying to avoid euphoria and preach seriousness in the upcoming matches. "We have to take one step at a time, achieve one goal at a time. First we need to get out of the relegation zone, then we can distance ourselves from it and then we can start thinking about something bigger." I think we have a good team and are in a position to fight for a place in the Libertadores,' commented left-back Juan.\
The fact that Flamengo has been in the relegation zone since the first rounds of the Brazilian Championship has had some negative consequences for the squad, according to the Flamengo full-back. "If Flamengo were fighting for the top spots, I'm sure some of the players here could be called up to the Brazilian national team. But I'll keep working to achieve this dream of one day wearing the yellow jersey," he confided.
For this Sunday, striker Obina is expected to be the big news among the starters. After being on the bench for the last three games, the player appears to have shown that he is close to his ideal fitness and should come in for Souza.
For Goiás, coach Paulo Bonamigo hopes the team can carry the excitement of the South American Championship into the Brazilian Championship, where the club is also having a strong campaign. But to do so, the Goiás team must overcome a nearly two-month winless streak outside of Goiânia. Their last victory came on June 30th, against América-RN, in Natal. "We know how strong Flamengo is at Maracanã, but we have the ability to leave with a good result. We respect our opponent, but we'll be looking for a win to stay at the top of the table," Bonamigo warned.
With no suspension issues, Goiás should field the same lineup that faced Cruzeiro midweek. The team is expected to field only Cristiano up front, as Paulo Bonamigo has few options in that position. Off the field, the club's management is already looking for reinforcements for the Goiás attack.
The match between Flamengo and Goiás will be watched by FIFA officials, who are in Brazil to inspect possible venues for the 2014 World Cup, if the country is confirmed as host of the tournament.
Flamengo will not have Roger against Goiás\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Midfielder Roger will miss Flamengo's match this Sunday at the Maracanã against Goiás. The former Corinthians player has again complained of thigh pain, a problem that forced him to leave the match against Juventude last Thursday. This Saturday morning, he was examined again by the medical department and was ruled out. Léo Medeiros is expected to replace him, although there is a possibility that Argentine Maxi will be dropped back into the playmaking position, with Obina coming in alongside Souza in attack. Coach Joel decided to only name the team shortly before the match.
The strong sun this Saturday morning in Rio de Janeiro forced coach Joel Santana to change the Flamengo players' schedule. The coach gathered the players for a ten-minute conversation about this Sunday's match against Goiás at Maracanã. After the meeting, Ibson, Renato Augusto, Léo Lima, Leo Moura, and Leonardo went to do strength training exercises while the others played a lively game on the Gávea pitch, with the players switching positions.
Fan brawl: In recent Flamengo matches, both home and away, the Torcida Jovem do Flamengo and Raça Rubro-Negra factions have been involved in increasingly intense conflicts. To prevent the climate of insecurity from continuing to affect other fans, Major Marcelo Pessoa, commander of the Special Stadium Policing Group (Gepe), promised to severely punish those involved in violent acts. He guaranteed that those who cause disturbances will be arrested and held criminally responsible.
PeléNet
Newbie Romulo is calm
The weather was hot yesterday in Gávea, but it was just the intense heat in Rio de Janeiro. In fact, tranquility set the tone for the final training session before the match against Goiás. And one of the most serene players in his current form for the Rubro-Negro is defensive midfielder Rômulo (pictured).
He was promoted to the first team after Joel Santana's arrival and quickly established himself as a starter. In the four games he started, against Náutico, Fluminense, Palmeiras, and Juventude, he was one of the team's standouts, consistently solid in his marking and efficient in his possession.
Expecting another good performance, the player spoke about Roger's absence from the match.
"He's a very important athlete, but I'm sure whoever comes in will do well," he said.
The player took the opportunity to talk about the differences between the youth and professional categories.
"Because I'm very strong, I've always stood out in other categories, and this physical build has helped me establish myself as a professional. But I still have to improve my timing and marking," he commented.
Among the main difficulties in the new category, Rômulo points to marking experienced players as the main one. "We have to be smart, because sometimes we think these players won't get to the ball, and they do. An example of this was when I faced Edmundo. It was very difficult to mark him, since he holds the ball well. But that's part of the learning process."
Flamengo and Goiás play to raise their goals in the Brazilian Championship
Flamengo and Goiás face off this Sunday at 18:10 p.m. at Maracanã Stadium, aiming to fulfill their immediate goals in the Brazilian Championship. The match will be part of the second round of the national competition's return leg.
The Rio de Janeiro team, which is in 17th place, with 21 points in 18 games - two fewer than most of its rivals - has the chance to finally leave the relegation zone and start dreaming of more ambitious goals, such as a place in the next Copa Libertadores.
To do so, the red-black team - motivated by the 4-0 win over Juventude, at Maracanã, last Thursday - just needs to defeat Goiás, since Atlético-PR, the first team outside the risk group, lost to Internacional this Saturday and is left with 23 points in 16th place.
"We can't get carried away right now. We're happy with another victory, but we haven't achieved anything yet. Any mistake could put us back down there. We're still not in a decent place in the table," commented coach Joel Santana.
For the Goiás team, currently in eighth place with 30 points, a victory could put them back in contention for qualification for the continental tournament. After two negative results—a loss to Internacional away from home and a draw with São Paulo at Serra Dourada—the Goiás team has fallen out of the top four, but could re-enter the top four with a victory against Flamengo.
But to do so, Goiás will need to improve its record away from home. So far, the team has only earned nine of 30 points on the road in the Brazilian Championship. "We have to look for points away from home to reach greater heights. We have to focus and fight hard to get a positive result," said midfielder Felipe, who could earn a chance on the team.
the teams
At Flamengo, coach Joel Santana will have two important absences: midfielders Roger, who left the match against Juventude with pain in his left thigh and did not recover in time, and Renato Augusto, who is still undergoing treatment for a strain in the same area.
Thus, Léo Medeiros and Toró will compete for Roger's spot, while Maxi will remain in place of Renato Augusto, who hasn't played since the victory over Náutico at Maracanã. The Argentine's attacking partner will be Souza or Obina.
With the addition of another forward, Goiás coach Paulo Bonamigo is modifying the 3-6-1 formation he used in some recent matches and will remove one of the defensive midfielders—Fábio Bahia, Cléber Gaúcho, or Elson. Vítor will therefore remain at right-back.
BalloonSport
For Abel, there is no favoritism towards Fla
Paraná residents complain about alleged help for the Rio de Janeiro team to escape the relegation zone
After losing 1-0 to Internacional this Saturday, Atlético-PR complained about a penalty awarded by Rio de Janeiro referee Luís Antônio Silva Santos, for an infraction committed outside the area.
The protests in Paraná were related to an alleged favoritism towards Flamengo, who will leave the relegation zone if they beat Goiás this Sunday, at 18:10 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã.
According to Internacional's coach, the work of coach Joel Santana, combined with Flamengo's new reinforcements, transforms the Gávea team into one of the most powerful teams in the country (watch the video above with Abel's statement).
"Flamengo has a very good coach, who has saved them on several occasions. Their midfield is one of the best in the country. They have Cristian, who is good, Roger, and Ibson, who is an excellent player. They also have Renato Augusto on the bench. For the defense, they signed the excellent Fábio Luciano. Flamengo doesn't need anyone's help to avoid relegation," he says.
Fla U-19 should return to Malaysia in 2008
The team finished the competition in third place and could represent Brazil again.
Flamengo's kids did well in the Malaysian Tournament and could return
Flamengo's youth team finished third in the Malaysian International Tournament last week. In their final match, they defeated Milan-ITA 3-1. Next year, the club has a chance to once again represent Brazil in the competition, which is a kind of world championship for the youth team.
The information was given by the club's youth football director, Moisés Saubel, this Saturday, after the professional team's training session in Gávea.
The boys will return next Tuesday to begin preparations for the Otávio Pinto Guimarães Tournament, which is expected to begin at the end of September or beginning of October.
Romulo is in the adaptation phase at Fla
The player has recently joined the professional group and has learned a lot.
Rômulo (left) gained the trust of coach Joel Santana at Fla
Midfielder Rômulo was named Flamengo's starting player in the 2-1 victory over Náutico just two weeks ago. Having come up through the club's youth ranks, the player believes he is still adapting to professional football.
"I had a lot of physical strength in the youth team, but here in the professional team that's been equaled. I have to improve my timing and marking," says the player, who comments on the difficulty of facing more experienced players.
"It was difficult to mark Edmundo. He holds the ball well, but that's good for learning," he adds.
For Maxi, new cry is exaggerated
Argentine striker admits it's difficult to compare him to Barça's cousin, Lionel Messi
Maxi is adapting to Rubro-negro
After Argentine Maxi's goal, the third against Juventude, the red-black fans started singing a new song in honor of the player: 'Oh, Maxi is better than Messi'.
Aware that this is normal among a passionate fan base like Flamengo's, the striker made a point of saying that it's difficult to compare him to his cousin.
- I know it's a passionate joke, but you can't compare - explains the player, while joking with Riquelme, the son of defender Ronaldo Angelim.
Throw
Fla seeks victory to avoid relegation
Rubro-Negro takes on Goiás and wants to build on the momentum of victories at Maracanã
(Credit: Art by Allex Ximenes)
Gabriel Benamor and Rafael Ximenes
Riding the Maracanã's momentum. Flamengo is relying on this idea to beat Goiás this Sunday at 18:10 p.m. in the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship and escape the relegation zone. A victory would see Flamengo reach 24 points and could leapfrog Atlético-PR and Paraná, who have 23 and 24 points and face Internacional and Juventude, respectively.
Flamengo has been in the death zone since a 2-2 draw with Internacional on June 16th at Maracanã. However, in the last three games at the World's Biggest Stadium, they've only won: 2-1 over Náutico, 1-0 over Fluminense, and 4-0 over Juventude. Flamengo has been taking advantage of the home advantage and is climbing the table. They've scored seven goals and conceded only one. The team is beginning to achieve greater balance, with the defense conceding fewer goals and the attackers finding their enchanting form.
Proof of the improvement is that the permanent training camp has been relaxed, and the team did not return to Granja Comary in Teresópolis. Coach Joel Santana is expected to replicate the team that thrashed Juventude 4-0 this Thursday at Maracanã. However, there is a possibility of midfielder Renato Augusto recovering, as he has a strained right thigh and has missed the last three games.
If Renato recovers, Joel could make changes to the team if he wants to make it more attacking. This could mean young Rômulo, and the midfield would consist of Cristian, Ibson, Roger, and Renato Augusto. Natalino's other option is to start striker Obina. He competes with Souza for a spot. Both scored in the last match.
Midfielder Roger is out with a right thigh muscle injury. Léo Medeiros and Toró are vying for the spot.
Goiás remains a two-faced team in the Brazilian Championship. Away from home, they haven't won in six matches. On the other hand, in front of their home fans, the Alviverde team hasn't lost in 11 matches. Their last defeat at Serra Dourada came on May 20th, in the second round of the Brazilian Championship, against Flamengo. On that occasion, the Rio de Janeiro Red-Black team won 3-1, with goals from Irineu, Juan, and Leonardo Moura. Fabrício Carvalho pulled one back.
Combining the poor streak away from Goiás with the first-round result, the expectations of a good result for the team from the Central-West region are not high. Especially considering the record against Flamengo. Goiás has never won a match under the Rubro-Negro. In 15 matches, the team from Rio de Janeiro won eight and drew seven.
With their poor away performance, Goiás has already fallen out of contention for a spot in the Copa Libertadores. Today, the team has 30 points and is four behind Botafogo, the last team to qualify for the South American tournament. Thus, not even a victory would put them back among the top teams.
To top it off, Goiás still has three key absences. Left-back Diego, defender André Leone, and forward Fabrício Carvalho are all undergoing treatment for injuries in the medical department. Therefore, the only change from the team that faced Cruzeiro last Wednesday would be forward Felipe replacing right-back Vítor.
Joel Santana: 'Maracanã is our home'
Coach hopes Fla repeats the good football he showed against Ju
For Joel, Maracanã is not neutral ground when it comes to Flamengo (Credit: Paulo Sérgio)
Coach Joel Santana said this Saturday that he hopes to see Flamengo repeat the strong performance they displayed against Juventude in this Sunday's match against Goiás. He praised the Maracanã stadium and stated that it is a unique asset for the team.
"Although it's a large stadium, considered neutral by many, for Flamengo, Maracanã is our home. Our obligation is to impose our style, play well, respect our opponents, and take another step away from the relegation zone," Joel told the club's website.
The directors estimate that the attendance for the match will be higher than that of Fla-Flu, which had almost 60 thousand paying spectators.
Joel happy with options for Roger's replacement
Toró and Léo Medeiros fight for a spot in Fla's midfield
Joel did not confirm who will be Roger's replacement against Goiás (Credit: Paulo Sérgio)
After Flamengo's medical department ruled out midfielder Roger for this Sunday's match against Goiás at Maracanã, coach Joel Santana faced a challenge: choosing his replacement. During training this Saturday, Joel raised the possibility of starting Toró or Léo Medeiros in Roger's place.
"Toró has been performing well in training. Léo Medeiros could improve the team's organization, but I haven't finalized anything yet," said the coach.
Joel stressed the importance of having a large group of players in the squad.
"That's great because the team won't have to face any tactical changes. I'm sure whoever comes in will maintain the same level," he said.
Romulo highlights the strength of professionals
Midfielder highlights physical strength as a key difference compared to juniors
Flamengo midfielder Rômulo has been feeling the differences in playing among the professionals. The 20-year-old highlighted his physical appearance as the main change he needs to overcome.
radio l! - The (professional) players are much more experienced and have much more strength. I had a lot of strength for the juniors. Now, it's pretty much the same - he evaluates. (Click and listen)
Fla closes preparation with chat and weight training
Under the strong sun, Joel Santana speaks for about ten minutes
Rafael Ximenes
With the sun shining in Gávea, coach Joel Santana chose to call the players to a cooler spot on the field and chatted with them for about ten minutes. Afterward, Ibson, Renato Augusto, Léo Lima, Leo Moura, and Leonardo went to the weight room.
The rest of the squad played a recreational match with left-back Juan as goalkeeper and Bruno as striker.