THE GLOBE
Classification with a taste of defeat
Flamengo draws with Madureira and reaches the semifinals but leaves Maracanã to boos
Photo caption: JUAN, ONE of the few who were saved, tries, with a new uniform, to get rid of two Madureira players
Not even the debut of the new uniform, number three, with a shirt split down the middle (red on top, black on the bottom, and all-red on the back with gold numbers), served as inspiration. In yesterday's match against the mixed Madureira team at Maracanã, although a 0-0 draw mathematically guaranteed a spot in the Taça Rio semifinals with 16 points, Flamengo was unable to repeat its feat of 1999, when it went the entire championship without dropping a single point to the smaller teams.
Before the game, a minute of silence was held in posthumous tribute to journalist Dicler Simões, who died yesterday at the age of 70. Flamengo's karma lately has been a height issue. In the Libertadores, the challenge is playing in Cuzco, at an altitude of over 3.500 meters. Yesterday, the problem was precisely the lack of height. Without the towering Souza, the Flamengo attack consisted of the shorter Marcinho and Maxi, who each had a chance to score with headers, but failed.
At halftime, a simple request from Joel: score goals
The first half was a sluggish affair, with countless misplaced passes and rare moments of excitement. More offensively, Flamengo created its first opportunity in the 18th minute, a free kick taken by Juan that grazed Renan's post. In the 24th minute, the diminutive Maxi headed dangerously, but the Madureira goalkeeper saved.
A minute later, Juan took a long-range shot, and Renan made another good save. Madureira had only one chance: in the 19th minute, from a high ball. Coming back for the second half, the Flamengo players' instructions were very simple:
"Joel asked us to score. The team really needs a tall striker," said Juan.
Despite Joel Santana's urging, the task seemed daunting. In the third minute, the diminutive Marcinho headed the ball against the crossbar. And Juan, on a shot from Maxi's 11th-minute goal that hit the crossbar, missed the most incredible goal of the game. From the six-yard box, he managed to shoot over, unmarked.
Madureira started to get excited, but in the 38th minute Tardelli almost scored, with Renan making another good save.
"A good team is like that. We come to win, and when we don't win, the fans boo," Bruno joked.
Flamengo: Bruno, Leonardo Moura, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Cristian, Kleberson, Ibson (Toró) and Renato Augusto (Diego Tardelli); Marcinho and Maxi (Obina). Madureira: Renan, Paulo Cesar, Marcílio and Jordan; Tiago (China), Douglas, Amaral (Júnior Negão), Wagner and Everton; Chrys (Doriva) and Milton. Referee: Jose Alexandre Barbosa Lima. Yellow cards: Everton, Wagner. Revenue: R$124.169,50. Attendance: 11.536 paying spectators.
FLAMENGO
BRUNO: He was not required much in the game. 6.
LEONARDO MOURA: Good first half, fell in the second. 5,5.
FÁBIO LUCIANO: He did well in defense. He even tried to be a striker. 7.
RONALDO ANGELIM: There was little work. 5.
JUAN: He missed an incredible goal, but maintained his dynamic performance pattern. 7,5.
CRISTIAN: A fighter, he didn't take many risks. 5.
KLEBERSON: Efficient performance in the middle and discreet in the frame. 5.
IBSON: Unrecognizable. He missed passes and was booed. 4. TORÓ had no time for anything. No grade.
RENATO AUGUSTO: He was in debt. He came off injured. 4. TARDELLI came on and had a chance, but didn't take advantage. 3.
MARCINHO: He headed the ball onto the crossbar and caused trouble. 6,5.
MAXI: Had a good chance, but sent the ball into the goalkeeper's hands. 4. OBINA was visibly hampered by his body fat percentage. 3.
JOEL SANTANA: Your changes had no effect. 5.
MADUREIRA\ Without Muriqui and some of the starters, the team proved to be just brave and fighting.\ REFEREEING\ José Alexandre Barbosa Lima refereed very well.\
Fernando Calazans
Every other day
What kind of championship is this? In terms of organization and format, I've never seen anything more absurd. And look at the competitions and absurdities Brazilian football has in abundance. But there's nothing more irresponsible and absurd than the championship of this Rio federation, which seems to be even worse than that of Dr. Caixa d'Água. The championship, at least, is.
We've reached the final two rounds, the classic rounds. And what will we have next, at the Maracanã? We'll have a classic, yes, but a classic that's worthless. Botafogo and Fluminense are already through to the semifinals and will play nothing more than a sweet friendly match to celebrate, the semifinalist sash handover. Isn't it beautiful?
Along the same lines, we'll have another friendly derby (or classic friendly?) next Sunday: a Vasco vs. Flamengo match thrown away, in the trash. Isn't that beautiful?
Look at the summary of this championship: at the beginning and in the middle, games against small teams, that is, thrashings against fragile small teams; at the end, classics that, given the fragility of the small teams, are mere friendlies to fill the schedule.
To make up for it, of course, in the semi-finals of the Rio Cup, between the big teams, the Maracanã will be on fire, as it was on fire in the GB Cup.
But why waste so much time playing two half-final quadrangulars (three-game quadrangulars) in a three-month period? All Rio fans want is for those two weeks to pass quickly so the semifinals can begin.
This is the championship of the president of the federation and the interim president of Vasco, who also rules the federation.
(Is that why the interim president received that message from who knows where that Vasco will win every game from now on and will be the champion of champions?)
Ah...I miss Doctor Caixa d'Água...
(Could it have been him, Dr. Caixa d'Água, who sent the mysterious message to the interim president? Better to leave that aside).
The whole situation reminds me of the saying of that notorious pessimist: "There is nothing so bad that it cannot get worse."
THE DAY
In the debut of the new shirt, Fla draws 0-0 with Madureira
Genilson Junior
Rio - Flamengo disappointed in its debut with its new jersey. On Saturday afternoon, the Rubro-Negro drew 0-0 with Madureira, mathematically securing a spot in the Taça Rio semifinals. With this result, Flamengo loses its 100% record against smaller teams, but reaches 16 points in the standings, eluding Duque de Caxias.
The game started slowly, with neither Flamengo nor Madureira creating any real chances to open the scoring. Flamengo misplaced passes in midfield and could only threaten the team from the Rio de Janeiro suburbs through set pieces. In the 19th minute, Juan took a free kick into the box. The ball flew past everyone and frightened goalkeeper Renan. Madureira responded a minute later in kind. The ball was lofted into the box with no one to head it.
Rubro-Negro improved and had a string of good chances starting in the 24th minute. First, a header from Maxi, then a long-range shot from Juan. Captain Fábio Luciano had two more chances to score, both with headers, but Renan managed to keep them out.
In the 38th minute, Bruno, who until then had been a mere spectator, got his first start in the match. Milson entered the box from the right and fired a weak shot that was saved by the number 1.
After the break, Flamengo came out with more energy. In the third minute, Ibson crossed into the six-yard box, and Marcinho, unmarked, headed the ball against the crossbar. Six minutes later, the number seven grabbed a first-time rebound, but the ball deflected off the defense and went out for a corner. In the eleventh minute, it was Maxi's turn to make a beautiful run down the right and cross. The ball again hit the crossbar. Joel showed he wanted the win and decided to add two more forwards to the team. Maxi and Renato Augusto came off, making way for Obina and Diego Tardelli. But it wasn't the ball's day.
In the 33rd minute, Douglas took a shot from outside the box, and the ball went just wide of Bruno's right post. Before the final whistle, Diego Tardelli missed one last opportunity, unsuccessfully trying to lob goalkeeper Renan.
In the next round of the Carioca Championship, Flamengo faces Vasco da Gama in a derby at Maracanã, likely with a reserve team. Madureira faces Fluminense on Saturday, also at the World's Biggest Stadium.
SPORTS JOURNAL
I even managed to catch some sleep!
Flamengo plays poorly, draws with Madureira, and angers fans. It was only worth qualifying.
Alexandre Souza
Ursula Nery/JS
In the best opportunity of the game, Marcinho headed the ball against the post, after a cross from Ibson, from the right.
In a very sluggish game, Flamengo played poorly and only drew 0-0 with Madureira yesterday at Maracanã. The result sealed their place in the semifinals of the Rio Cup. Even so, the team left the field to boos from the fans, who were not at all pleased with the team's performance.
The game started slowly, with Flamengo having more possession but feeling very sluggish. It wasn't until the 24th minute that they created their first real threat. Leonardo Moura crossed from the right and Maxi headed the ball, which was well saved by goalkeeper Renan, who was again threatened a minute later. Juan made a good run through the middle, shooting hard, and forcing Renan to make another good save. It wasn't until the end of the first half, on a corner kick, that Fábio Luciano almost broke the deadlock. Leonardo Moura crossed from the right, the defender rose higher than the Madureira defense, and headed the ball into the corner. The ball grazed the post, and the first half ended with fans and players dissatisfied with the team's performance.
The second half began with Flamengo eager to accelerate the match. Just three minutes in, Ibson advanced down the right and crossed into the box. Marcinho headed the ball unmarked, and the ball hit the crossbar. Eight minutes later, Maxi burst into the box and crossed. The ball flew over Renan and hit the crossbar. Juan, without a goalkeeper, fired a shot over the bar and missed an incredible goal.
The fans asked, and Joel delivered. Obina came on and immediately had a chance to score. Leonardo Moura crossed, the striker headed the ball, and it skimmed past Renan's post. Madureira responded with a great shot from outside the box by Douglas, which also grazed Bruno's post.
From then on, Flamengo continued to send crosses into the box, but the goal was elusive. The game ended 0-0, with Flamengo being booed by the fans.
Bruno warns about gaming marathon
With qualification for the Taça Rio semifinals secured, Flamengo enters a period of many decisive matches, both in the Libertadores and the Campeonato Carioca. After the match against Vasco da Gama next week, which will be important only due to the fierce rivalry between the two clubs, the team faces a marathon of crucial matches.
For goalkeeper Bruno, now is the time for Flamengo to show its strength.
"We're going to enter that all-or-nothing phase. Now, we'll see if Flamengo is truly a team that deserves to be champions," he said.
Bruno also highlighted that Rio will be privileged by many decisive games between the big four.
"The stage of the competition has arrived where all the work is on the line, not only for Flamengo, but also for the other three big teams. So let's wait and see who's who," said Bruno, who was in good humor about the fans booing the team at the end of the match: "It's a joke, the team draws and the fans boo. What can you do? That's how a good team is," joked the goalkeeper.
For captain Fábio Luciano, the team didn't play badly, they just lacked luck:
"The team created a lot of chances, but there are days when the ball just doesn't go in," said the defender, who didn't want to lament the result: "Of course we wanted to win to make our fans happy, but the important thing is that the draw brought us qualification," he concluded.
Fla seeks victory again
Rubro-negro seeks rehabilitation in the National Basketball Championship against Univates/Bira
Pedro Ivo Almeida
File/JS
With Marcelinho absent, winger Duda is Flamengo's main name, as they seek to get back to winning ways.
After losing the game to Joinville last Friday, 81 to 64, and an unbeaten run that had lasted 20 matches, 15 in the National Championship and 5 in the South American League, Flamengo hopes to find the way to victory again today, at 12 pm, at the Gávea gym, against Univates/Bira.
Fred, who didn't play on Friday, remains unfit to play. Marcelinho, who also missed the team's last match, has a chance of returning to the team for today's match, depending on an evaluation that will be made by the club's medical department shortly before the game.
Paulo Chupeta, coach of the Gávea team, believes the team will bounce back from the defeat. According to him, everyone has already talked and understands that this is normal for any group.
"We've already talked about Friday's match, and everyone acknowledged they were in a bad way, but that's part of it. When you have a long winning streak, you have to be prepared for a possible defeat. You have to keep your head on straight and know it was bound to happen one day. It happens to the best teams, and it was no different for us. We'll get back to our usual style of play so this doesn't become routine."
Chupeta also believes that the high number of games in a few days may have affected the team's performance. "We're competing in two competitions at the same time. We're playing four games in seven days. There comes a time when the whole group feels it. Yesterday (Friday), Coloneze even asked to leave because he couldn't handle it. He was very tired. This ends up seriously affecting our performance on the court," Chupeta concluded.
Eighth in the competition with 7 wins in 16 games, Univates needs a win more than ever to stay among the top eight, which guarantees a place in the Play-Offs.
Others games
Also in the 13th week of the National Basketball Championship, Iguaçu BC hosts Joinville at 10 am at the Gávea gymnasium; FTC/EAD hosts second-place Pitágoras/Minas at the Colégio Marista de Salvador gymnasium at 11 am; CETAF faces Londrina at home, also at 11 am, and Universo/BRB, third in the table, hosts UTC/Uberlândia, fifth in Brasília at the same time.
Flamengo: Helio, Duda, Amiel, Coloneze, Alírio\ Coach: Paulo Chupeta\
Univates/Bira: Diguinho, Leo, Audrei, Thulius, Ildes\ Coach: Clairton Wachholz\
Marcos de Castro
Bath-in-Cuia
Judges, judges
Marcos de Castro
One of the most impressive facts about the current Campeonato Carioca is that the referees (technically called referees), almost all of them very young, are top-notch. I repeat, to leave no doubt: top-notch. When it was decided to field four female referees for the Flamengo game on Wednesday, some feared the worst. Pure prejudice, although it was, after all, an unprecedented event. The Federation's Refereeing Department was taking a bold but sure step toward breaking down barriers. The four women proved, in an area where men have dominated until now, that they are in no way inferior to them.
On Thursday, during Botafogo's match, there was impressive proof of the excellence of the current young refereeing team. Before the first minute was up, the referee calmly sent off a Cardoso Moreira player who had applied a deadly low-kick to a Botafogo player. The only option was to send off the aggressor, but, due to a lack of training, no one believed it. Even the commentator said on TV: "The first yellow card will soon appear." The red card flashed on the referee's hand like a traffic light on a corner. A party pooper will say that in that same game, Botafogo's goal was a scandalous bathtub—it's true. But one mistake doesn't spoil the high standard of the whole. After all, we're talking about men, not infallible entities. If the Federation is wrong about anything, it's not the refereeing team, whose Department has demonstrated high competence.
The Federation's mistakes are numerous and serious. Flamengo president Márcio Braga pointed out some of them in a brilliant interview he gave on a midweek TV show. For starters, the championship doesn't support 16 clubs. He wants only 10, but at the very least, it urgently needs to return to last year's 12. He showed data provided by a reputable American company: Flamengo has the largest fan base in the world: 32 million. And he pointed out, with perfect foresight, that a fan base grows from the outside in. This makes a campaign São Paulo launched to make its fan base the largest in Brazil from the inside out ridiculous: perhaps that way, it could move from third to fourth.
SPORTS GAZETTE
Fla only draws with Madureira, but is in the semifinals\ Gazeta Press\
Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo failed to replicate its strong performances this season, drawing goalless with Madureira on Saturday afternoon at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro in the penultimate round of the Taça Rio, the second half of the Campeonato Carioca. Despite the result, Flamengo reached 16 points in Group A and mathematically secured qualification for the semifinals, but missed the chance to take the lead in the group, which remains with Fluminense due to its goal difference and 100% record against teams considered smaller. The situation was better for the Tricolor from the suburbs, who rested some of their starters with the Copa do Brasil clash in mind, but still reached 23 points and secured a spot in Série C of the Campeonato Brasileiro.
The Game - The match began with both teams studying each other in intense heat. In addition to the sun, the high number of misplaced passes made it very difficult for plays to be objective. This resulted in the first dangerous play only occurring in the 18th minute, and even then, it was a set piece. Renato Augusto took a free kick, the ball bounced in the box and nearly fooled goalkeeper Renan.
Madureira's number 1 was decisive in saving his team six minutes later, when he saved a point-blank header from Argentine Maxi Biancucchi, who had capitalized on Leonardo Moura's cross from the right. Flamengo then unleashed themselves, and in the 26th minute, Juan nearly scored when he attempted a shot that was saved by Renan. Three minutes later, the full-back himself hit a free kick into the net, but it went wide.
As the Rubro-Negro improved, Madureira retreated to the field, seeking only defense. So much so that the suburban Tricolor only created a dangerous opportunity in the 38th minute, when Milson Santos was sent on a counterattack, but his shot was weak and easy for goalkeeper Bruno to save. In the last dangerous move of the first half, in the 40th minute, Leonardo Moura took a corner kick and Fábio Luciano headed wide.
Flamengo came back in the second half trying to impose a blistering pace and had a great chance to open the scoring after just three minutes. Ibson crossed, and Marcinho hit the crossbar. But nothing compared to what happened in the 11th minute. Maxi's curling cross hit the crossbar, and Juan, without a goalkeeper, managed to finish over the goal.
Madureira, which had remained very defensive, at least began to threaten on the counterattack, as in the 14th minute, when Amaral's shot from outside the box went wide, scaring Bruno. In the 32nd minute, Flamengo presented an excellent opportunity. Leonardo Moura crossed, and Obina, unmarked, headed wide.
In the final minutes, both teams missed good chances. In the 33rd minute, Douglas fired a shot from outside the box, scaring Bruno. Five minutes later, Juan received the ball in the box and shot, but Renan made a great save. From then on, Madureira managed to hold on to their lead until the end.
Flamengo returns to action next Sunday, in the derby against Vasco da Gama at 18:10 PM (Brasília time) at the Maracanã stadium. Madureira faces Fluminense at the same time and location on Saturday. Before that, however, the suburban Tricolor will play at home on Wednesday against Juventude-RS in the Copa do Brasil.
PELENET
Fla only draws, but qualifies for the semis of the Rio Cup
From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\
The new jersey wasn't so lucky. Flamengo dropped its first points to a lesser-known team, drawing 0-0 with Madureira this Saturday at Maracanã in the seventh round of the Taça Rio. Despite disappointing the fans, the team from Gávea, which reached 16 points in Group A, is assured of a spot in the second-round semifinals. The visitors, however, reached 10 in the other group.
FLAMENGO 0 X 0 MADUREIRA
Both teams return to the domestic competition next weekend. Tricolor Suburbano takes on Fluminense on Saturday at 18:10 pm at Maracanã. At the same location and time, but on Sunday, Rubro-Negro plays the round's derby against Vasco.
Rubro-Negro presses, but Renan stands out in the first half
Flamengo started the match at a slow pace. So much so that they only had their first chance in the 16th minute. Leonardo Moura took a free kick, and Renan parried it. In the 18th minute, it was Juan's turn to take a chance. The ball flew past everyone and nearly caught the goalkeeper of the suburban Tricolor.
After these moves, Rubro-Negro showed their interest in the match and missed their best chance in the first half in the 24th minute. Striker Maxi Biancucchi headed the ball, but Renan made a great save.
As usual, the Gávea team had its best chances thanks to plays by Leonardo and Juan. In the 25th minute, the left-back's attacking run brought Renan another lifeline for Madureira. While the Tricolor Suburbano goalkeeper excelled, Bruno was a mere spectator.
In the last significant chance of the first half, Fábio Luciano nearly scored with a header in the 39th minute. The ball went just wide of the opponent's right post.
Flamengo presses, but cannot achieve victory
Flamengo came out more determined in the second half. Just three minutes in, Marcinho hit the crossbar. In the 11th minute, the ball hit the Madureira post again, following a cross from Maxi Biancucchi. Juan then sent the ball wide.
Madureira only really threatened to score in the 12th minute. Wagner took a first-time shot, and the ball sailed over goalkeeper Bruno's goal. Aiming to give his team more attacking power, coach Joel Santana brought on Diego Tardelli and Obina to replace Renato Augusto and Maxi Biancucchi.
The Red-Blacks pressed on, but couldn't secure the victory. In the 32nd minute, Obina missed a great header. In the last chance of the game, Diego Tardelli shot straight at Renan.
Ibson shows irritation with boos from Flamengo fans
From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\
The fans' boos weren't well received by Ibson, who, like the rest of the group, didn't perform well against Madureira this Saturday. With a 0-0 draw, Flamengo let its first two points slip away against the so-called smaller teams in this edition of the State Championship.
"It's part of it. The fans are demanding and impatient. Imagine if we were last," the midfielder, still "hot-blooded", raged after being replaced by midfielder Toró.
However, in the press conference, having taken a shower and calmed down, Ibson, who is expected to leave Flamengo in July as he has a contract with Porto-POR, was more relaxed in his responses and attributed the team's poor performance to the opponent's strong marking.
"We had good opportunities. We didn't expect to drop points to the so-called small teams. It's difficult to play against those who come here to avoid losing," he analyzed, showing that he is calm about his football.
"I'm trying to do my job normally. It's just that I don't always manage to play well. Fans are passionate, emotional, and they want to see their team always win," the player added.
The midfielder had a defender in coach Joel Santana. "Ibson is a player who is a regular starter; he was almost called up to the Brazilian national team on a few occasions. The team performed poorly. But we drew the game we could have. The goal didn't come, so be patient. I can't blame him," analyzed the red-and-black manager.
Joel: "I was more relaxed than in the rout over Friburguense"
From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\
Flamengo coach Joel Santana surprised everyone in the press conference after the Red-Blacks' 0-0 draw with Madureira. The match was part of the seventh round of the Taça Rio, the second round of the State Championship. The coach revealed that he was more relaxed with his team this Saturday at Maracanã than in the 4-1 rout of Friburguense last Wednesday.
"On that occasion, we conceded a goal when we were winning 2-0 at the start of the second half. They pressed and almost tied the game. In the end, we managed to score twice and calm our fans," said Joel.
The coach then analyzed the team's draw with Madureira. He believes the score was unfair, as only his team managed to score. It was the first time Flamengo had lost points to clubs with lower investment in this State Championship.
"The game was the same for the entire 90 minutes. Our team was eager to play, and the other team was making it difficult. Madureira was fouling a lot. Bruno, our goalkeeper, did very little, and we missed a lot of scoring chances. They managed to achieve their goal, which was to tie the match," he analyzed.
GLOBOESPORTE
Fla stumbles, but secures the spot
Rubro-Negro remains tied at 0-0 against Madureira and fans boo the team at the end of the game
Eduardo Peixoto
It didn't go as fans expected. Despite playing poorly, Flamengo drew 0-0 with Madureira this Saturday at Maracanã and secured a spot in the semifinals of the Taça Rio.
The draw ended a ten-game winning streak for the Red-Blacks over teams considered smaller. In their debut in their third uniform, the team had no luck. They hit the crossbar twice (watch highlights of the game in the video below).
Flamengo currently sits second in Group A with 16 points and is out of reach of Caxias. In the final round, with the reserve team, they face Vasco. Despite securing a spot, the fans couldn't accept the setback and booed the team at the end of the match.
"The important thing was qualifying. Madureira came in to equalize and they did," says defender Ronaldo Angelim.
Meanwhile, Madureira turns its attention to the Copa do Brasil when it faces Juventude on Wednesday at Edson Passos Stadium. In the Campeonato Carioca, the suburban Tricolor sits with ten points in Group B and has no chance of qualifying.
Third shirt starts badly
This time, the question mark over Flamengo wasn't the lineup. Until moments before the game began, the team didn't know which uniform they would wear. Due to a supplier error, the club only received the number 2 on Saturday to press onto the third jersey, a tribute to rowing.
With the problem solved, the Rubro-Negro team took to the field in a new outfit, but sluggishly. At a slow pace and hampered by the strong sun, they only had their first good chance in the 24th minute. Leo Moura crossed from the right, and the diminutive Maxi headed the ball for Renan to save. A minute later, Juan burst from midfield and shot from outside the box. Once again, the Madureira goalkeeper was on hand.
Contrary to his previous promise, the coach of the suburban Tricolor, Carlos Tozzi, didn't field a reserve team. But even the starters didn't pose much of a threat in the first half.
Maxi wears Flamengo's third shirt
The booing from the few fans who were at Maracanã at the end of the first half clearly demonstrated the low technical level of the game.
Flamengo returned to the field to chants of "We want grit." And that's what Cristian demonstrated three minutes in when he stole the ball from the defense and started the play that ended with a backheel cross from Leo Moura and a header from Marcinho hitting the crossbar.
In the 11th minute, the crossbar saved Madureira again. Maxi's cross hit the post, and Juan, with the goal open, shot over the bar, missing an incredible chance.
On the counterattack, the Tricolor nearly pulled off a surprise. Wagner took a chance, and the ball went over Bruno's goal. The match was practically a practice run of attack versus defense. But Madureira's defense held Flamengo well. Only in the 33rd minute did Obina head the ball dangerously. Immediately afterward, Douglas fired a low shot that nearly caught Bruno off guard.
In the 38th minute, Diego Tardelli broke through on the left wing, but shot straight at Renan. Tardelli also had a chance to score the winning goal in the 45th minute, but shot wide.
Joel: 'It was the most relaxed game'
Coach complains about Madureira's violence and says Flamengo controlled the 90 minutes
Eduardo Peixoto
There was no room for irritation or stress in Joel Santana's press conference. "Light," the red-and-black coach appeared drowsy. With each slurred response, he explained that the 0-0 draw with Madureira didn't bother him that much (watch the video below with highlights from the match).
"It was the calmest game of the championship. On Wednesday, for example, we won 4-1 (against Friburguense), and I was very nervous. But against Madureira, everything was equal for the entire 90 minutes. One team wanted to play, and the other made it difficult. But the important thing is that we tied when we could," says the coach.
Madureira's defensive stance even earned praise. However, Joel complained about the opponent's violence, which only received two yellow cards.
"They committed a lot of fouls and the referee was lenient. But I'm not going to sit here complaining," he declares.
Flamengo will have two days off and will return to training next Tuesday at Gávea Stadium. The team is expected to field a reserve squad against Vasco da Gama next Sunday.
"I haven't decided yet, but since we have a grueling trip on Monday, I'll think about it. It all depends on the results," he says, referring to Flamengo's trip to Peru, where they will face Cienciano at the 3.360m altitude of Cuzco.
Ibson leaves booed, but doesn't complain
Player denies poor form and says fans are his heart. Joel comes to the athlete's defense.
Eduardo Peixoto
For the first time since his promotion to the Flamengo professional team, Ibson heard boos from the Flamengo fans. The unpleasant debut came in the second half of this Saturday's match against Madureira. When he was replaced by Toró, the supporter heard boos and was comforted by fullback Luizinho.
"That's what impatient fans are like. It almost seems like we're last," he said irritably, still on the pitch (watch the video below with the statement).
The fans' impatience is explained by the ongoing saga surrounding the player's contract renewal. While Ibson declared to Portuguese newspapers that he was ready to return to Porto, in the Brazilian press he adopted the stance of wanting to remain at Gávea. This ambiguous stance provoked retaliation.
However, instead of counter-arguing, Ibson preferred to understand the Flamengo fans' side.
"My head is fine. That's what the fans are all about. Heart, passion, and always wanting Flamengo to win. But sometimes it's not possible," he says.
He also denied that he was in a bad phase.
"It's not just Ibson, but the whole team. This game was tough because Madureira came here to not lose," Ibson explains.
Coach Joel Santana also came to his pupil's defense and recalled that even he performed poorly in the game against Madureira.
- Ibson arrived last year and is a regular starter. He's already been considered for a call-up to the national team.
Fla fails to match 1999 record
A draw with Madureira prevents 100% of the chances against smaller teams in the Campeonato Carioca
Eduardo Peixoto
The lackluster 0-0 draw against Madureira ruined a statistic that could have changed Flamengo's fortunes (watch the video below for the potentially game-changing moment). If they had defeated the suburban Tricolor, Flamengo would have won 12 consecutive matches against smaller teams and would have finished the State Championship without a single setback against the "dwarfs."
Such a feat has only occurred once since Fla started playing in the Campeonato Carioca: in 1999. Under Carlinhos' command, Flamengo only lost points in the classics and was crowned champion that year.
"Congratulations to Madureira, who played a very strong defense. But at least we qualified and will have a peaceful break," said captain Fábio Luciano.
Interestingly, Madureira has yet to lose to any major team. They drew with Flamengo and beat Vasco and Botafogo. In the final round of the Rio Cup, they face Fluminense.
"It's good to know that Madureira was the only small team Flamengo didn't beat. It shows we were a nuisance," says Tiago, Flamengo's right-back.
THROW
Flamengo stumbles in Madureira on a day of little inspiration
Rubro-Negro is nothing more than a goalless draw at Maracanã
Renato Augusto complains about the refereeing (Credit: Cléber Mendes)
LANCEPRESS!
Flamengo had a good reason to beat Madureira this Saturday: to end the team's poor third jersey record. But "bad luck" prevailed, as the Rubro-Negro didn't play well and couldn't get past a 0-0 draw at Maracanã. The result qualified Flamengo for the Taça Rio semifinals, remaining second in Group A with 16 points. Madureira, now eliminated, moved to ten, finishing third in Group B.
A lack of interest set the tone for practically the entire first half. With some players rested, Flamengo struggled to break through Madureira's defense, which also lacked several starters. The situation only began to change when the red-and-black team began playing down the wings. The moves down the right, utilizing the speed of Léo Moura and Maxi, posed a threat to Renan's goal.
Even so, despite their dominance, chances were elusive. Flamengo had only two good chances from headers, one from striker Maxi and the other from defender Fábio Luciano. Madureira, completely dominated, managed only one shot on Bruno's goal, through Milson.
The situation remained the same until the end of the half, with Flamengo trying to score and Madureira clearly proposing to act on the counter-attack.
At the restart, coach Joel Santana urged his players to be more aggressive in attack to try to kill the game as quickly as possible. The advice was heeded, and Marcinho hit the crossbar with a header in the box. Soon after, the best chance so far came. Maxi crossed from the right, the ball hit the crossbar, and fell to Juan, who, without a goalkeeper, shot over, missing an incredible opportunity.
Gradually, lethargy took hold of both teams, and the game returned to stagnation. The red-and-black coach decided to make changes to his lineup to boost his team's energy. Diego Tardelli and Obina replaced Renato Augusto and Maxi, respectively. Initially, the red-and-black team had more presence in the box, but nothing that solved the team's problems.
Incredibly, Madureira, who had lost interest in the game, almost scored their own goal late on with a beautiful shot from Douglas that just missed Bruno's right post. Diego Tardelli responded shortly after with a dangerous shot, but it wasn't enough to prevent the draw.
Draw and joy for the red-blacks at Maraca
Fans frustrated with the draw are happy with their place in the semifinals\ LANCEPRESS!\
The disappointment of the little more than 12 thousand fans who were present at Maracanã, in the 0-0 draw with Madureira, on Saturday afternoon, could be minimized by the fact that the result mathematically guaranteed Flamengo's qualification for the semifinals of the Taça Rio.
Satisfied with his position, goalkeeper Bruno issued a challenge to his teammates.
"All of Rio's big teams have a chance of winning the Rio Cup, but now we'll see if Flamengo is truly a team that can make it," said the goalkeeper.
Less controversial, captain Fábio Luciano simply praised the team's qualification for the knockout stage and preferred not to choose an opponent.
"Botafogo and Vasco are tough opponents, fueled by intense rivalry. We'll wait and see who we face, but what we can celebrate, despite the draw, is securing a spot in the Taça Rio semifinals," the defender concluded.
Joel doesn't know which team to put against Vasco
Natalino will decide whether the team will be the starter on the eve of the match\ LANCEPRESS!\
Vasco and Flamengo have already qualified for the semifinals of the Taça Rio, the second round of the Campeonato Carioca. However, Flamengo coach Joel Santana is aware of the rivalry this match will entail and, therefore, wants to wait until the last minute to find out which team he will field.
"We'll wait until the end of the round to decide. Vasco and Flamengo are even worth the odds. I've worked for both clubs and I can vouch for that. That's why I don't want to make any rash decisions. On Monday (April 7th, one day after the derby), we'll be traveling (to Peru, where they'll face Cienciano, in the high-altitude Cuzco, in the Libertadores), and the strain will be immense. For this reason, I'll talk to the entire coaching staff to decide whether or not to field the starting lineup against Vasco," the man with the clipboard told Rádio Tupi.
Fábio Luciano says that a draw needs to be analyzed
The red-black defender believes that the group's motivation must remain high.
LANCEPRESS!\ Flamengo defender Fábio Luciano made a point of emphasizing that the 0-0 draw with Madureira this Saturday at Maracanã should be analyzed carefully. For him, the match served mainly to evaluate what the red-black team needs to improve from now on.\
Flamengo's captain emphasized that the players' motivation must remain high, even though the team is already in the final of the Campeonato Carioca.
"We had trouble getting past Madureira's defense. But that's just a warning that there are no easy games. In every match, we need to apply ourselves and overcome our challenges. We have to eliminate any possibility of complacency," said the player.
For Fábio Luciano, Flamengo's next match, the derby against Vasco next Sunday, is very important, whether with the starting lineup or not.
"The result of a classic is always important. We have to go in strong to reach the semifinals with high morale. We can't lose because of some silly mistake," he concluded.
Rubro-negros blame defensive line for draw
Diego Tardelli says Madureira played very defensively\ LANCEPRESS!\
During halftime of the match between Flamengo and Madureira, some Flamengo players, such as goalkeeper Bruno and left-back Juan, both unhappy with the scoreless draw, said that Flamengo would attack Madureira in the second half. However, the goal failed to come, and the Flamengo players, content with the draw, asserted that the result was ultimately due to the suburban Tricolors.
"We faced a closed team that played deep. That meant we couldn't score," said forward Diego Tardelli.
Defender and team captain Fábio Luciano agreed with Diego Tardelli's opinion.
"We tried to create our scoring chances, but Madureira pressed very hard. That's just how football is. Last Wednesday, we didn't even play that well against Friburguense and ended up winning by a landslide. Against Madureira, we played well, created several chances, and didn't score. That's part of the game," the player explained.
Zico could be the theme of Mangueira in 2009
Election will take place in April and Galinho is in the fight
Zico may be honored by Estação Primeira (Credit: Reuters)
LANCEPRESS!
Coach Joel Santana congratulated Zico this Friday on the birth of his grandson and on the potential theme of a samba school in 2009. He didn't say which one, but Mangueira's press office confirmed that one of the suggested themes is indeed about Galinho. According to Santana, the decision won't be made until April, when one of several candidate themes will be chosen.
If the theme for the 2009 Samba School Parade is confirmed, it will be the second time the Gávea club has served as inspiration for a samba school. In 1995, Estácio de Sá paraded with the theme "Once Flamengo...", which celebrated the club's centennial, celebrated that same year.