The Globe
A victory to not depend on others
If Inter beats them today in the South, Fla will have a peaceful week
Photo caption: FÁBIO LUCIANO in Gávea: the defender returns to the team after serving a suspension against Figueirense
PORTO ALEGRE. One day after the holiday, Flamengo is trying to proclaim its independence on the banks of the Guaíba River. After spending the entire first half of the Brazilian Championship in the relegation zone, escaping for two rounds, then sinking, and then regaining its breath, the team has a chance to leave the crisis behind against Internacional, today at 16 p.m., in Porto Alegre, without relying on anyone's results.
More than just overcoming a five-year or nine-game winless streak at Beira-Rio, Flamengo needs to keep racking up points to strengthen its reserves for the challenges ahead. On Wednesday, the team faces second-place Cruzeiro at Maracanã, before Sunday's derby against Vasco.
"We're going to have a week of great emotions. I hope we've learned our lesson," said Joel Santana.
Despite the absence of Argentine Maxi (injured) and midfielder Cristian (suspended), Flamengo will have the return of five players who missed the 4-1 rout of Figueirense: defenders Ronaldo Angelim and Fábio Luciano, full-back Juan, midfielder Roger, and forward Souza. Since Joel's arrival, Flamengo has been on a nine-game marathon in a month, with three days between games.
Roger admits to having made exaggerations
Roger had his spells interrupted by excessive bookings. Of the 11 games since his arrival, he's missed three: he was sent off twice and received another suspension for a third yellow card.
"Joel is absolutely right to complain," the player said, referring to the coach's criticism, which extended to Souza's mistake in the derby. "I was also upset."
Roger says that the team's difficult phase in the Brazilian Championship made him enter the field with excessive desire.
"When you try to do more than what's asked of you, you end up making mistakes. That's no excuse. I know I overdid it. Now, I'll try to control myself so it doesn't happen again," he said.
Supporter Renato Augusto will also try to avoid a repeat of the boos. Since returning from injury against Botafogo, his poor performances have been accompanied by protests from the fans.
"It's a bit embarrassing, but every player goes through it. Being booed at the first ball is destabilizing, but I have to be prepared for that pressure."
International: Clemer; Jonas, Sidnei, Indio and Alex; Edinho, Wellington Monteiro, Guiñazu and Roger; Adriano and Christian. Flamengo: Bruno, Leo Moura, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Romulo, Leo Medeiros (Toró), Ibson and Roger; Renato Augusto and Souza. Referee: Paulo César de Oliveira.
BROADCAST: TV Globo and Rádio Globo
Jade adorned with a bronze medal
Athlete is the highest-ranked Brazilian in a World Cup, in the individual all-around
Photo caption: JADE BARBOSA performs the jump, the event in which she achieved her best score at the World Championships in Stuttgart
Claudio Nogueira
This is Jade Barbosa's year. After becoming the biggest female star in Brazilian gymnastics today with a strong performance at the Pan American Games, the athlete made history yesterday by winning the bronze medal in the individual all-around (combined points from all four apparatuses) at the World Pre-Olympic Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Jade finished the competition tied with Italy's Vanessa Ferrari, both with a score of 60.550, combined for vault, parallel bars, balance beam, and floor exercise.
The champion was 15-year-old American Shawn Johnson, who had been the best in the individual at the Pan American Games with a score of 61.875, and the second place was Romanian Steliana Nistor with a score of 60.625. Jade achieved the most impressive result in the history of women's gymnastics in Brazil yesterday, as, by winning bronze, she became the third most complete gymnast in the world. Other major achievements in Brazilian gymnastics include Danielle Hypólito's silver on the floor exercise and fourth place in the individual in 2001; and Daiane dos Santos's gold on the floor exercise in 2003.
Excited, Jade attributed the result to training at the Curitiba training center.
"I'm so happy! The training in Curitiba has been delivering results for our country. I'm so happy I don't even know what to say. When Eliane (Martins, technical director of the Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation) told me I'd finished third, I couldn't believe it. I asked, 'Really?'" she said by phone from Stuttgart.
Manager hopes to see Jade on the Olympic podium
Jade confessed that, due to nervousness, she preferred not to look at the scoreboard or monitor the progress of the scores. Her score on the vault was her best, with 15.900. She scored 15.700 on the balance beam, 14.950 on the parallel bars, and 14.000 on the floor exercise, the last apparatus in the program, where she suffered a fall.
Jade's bronze almost ended in gold. The Flamengo athlete had reached floor exercise in the lead, just ahead of Shawn Johnson. But after falling on floor exercise, she lost a few tenths of a second. Since Shawn scored 15.425 on floor exercise, she won gold. Steliana Nistor surpassed Jade on the same apparatus, with 14.975, and finished second. Still on floor exercise, Vanessa Ferrari's 15.300 earned her bronze, tied with Jade. Vanessa was the defending champion, but performed poorly on vault and parallel bars.
For Jade, the year has been special due to the medals at the Pan American Games - gold in vault, silver in team events and bronze in floor exercises - and the team's qualification for the Olympics, with fifth place in this Pre-Olympic World Championship.
"This year has been really good, and I was hoping it would continue to go well. It's been a special year. We qualified as a team, and I did well in the all-around," she said, competing in the vault finals today and the balance beam finals tomorrow.
Jade is already thinking about the Beijing Olympics:
"I want to help Brazil improve its team standings and do well in the individual all-around. An Olympic medal? Oh, that's a dream I hope to achieve..."
Jade, a 16-year-old native of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, is very close to her father, César, to whom she broke the news over the phone. In Stuttgart, the president of the Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation (CBG), Vicélia Florenzano, celebrated.
"This is another historic moment. A medal in the individual all-around at a Pre-Olympic tournament, which is more challenging, is even more valuable. Jade deserves congratulations, because she gave our country a huge gift. We're moving forward," declared Vicélia.
The director intends to carefully choose a location for the acclimatization of the team that will go to Beijing-2008, perhaps in Macau.
"Coaches from other countries have come to me and told me that Brazil will surprise in Beijing. In Athens 2004, we finished eighth in the team competition. I believe we can finish fourth in Beijing, which would mean a lot," he predicted.
Vicélia acknowledged that yesterday, when she reached the last apparatus first, Jade may have felt the weight, which is why she fell to the ground. However, when talking about Jade in relation to Beijing, the director is very optimistic:
- Jade has all the conditions to reach the Olympic podium. She has a year to train, to mature, to improve her second vault. She's very aware of this.
In Rio, Jade's father, César Barbosa, said it's good to see his daughter shine:
"She made a mistake on the floor. But she's gaining competition know-how. She has talent and a good coach. She can't go into the competition looking at others and thinking they're idols. She has to go in knowing she has her place."
In the men's event, Diego Hypólito, world champion in floor exercise in 2005, will be in the floor exercise final today at 9 am, with a chance of a medal.
TRANSMISSION: Bandeirantes Network
Sports Panorama
Historic meeting
Luciano Pavarotti is gone, but the Italian tenor remains remembered for the beauty and power of his voice, as well as his charisma. Wherever he appeared, his presence was remarkable. In January 1995, for example, he came to Rio to perform at the former Metropolitan Stadium. He loved soccer so much and was such a fan of Romário that he went to Gávea to invite the little one to the next day's show.
Of course, it was a celebrity gathering. The Flamengo fans present at the training session couldn't contain themselves, chanting in unison: "Hey, hey, Pavarotti is the terror!"
Romário was in the locker room, unaware of what was happening outside. When he finished getting ready, all dressed up, he went to meet Pavarotti, who had been waiting for him for about 15 minutes.
The shorty's eyes shone, and he could barely speak. Pavarotti heaped praise on the star. He also recounted how, as a young man, he had tried to become a soccer player. Almost immediately, a ball appeared, and the two began trying to exchange passes.
Of course, nothing came of it. Because he made too many mistakes and returned poorly to Romário, the tenor finally gave up. Baixinho hugged him and presented him with the Flamengo club's centennial jersey. He regretted not being able to attend the show because the next day he was flying to face the Uruguayan national team, a match that would mark his Flamengo debut.
Pavarotti also lamented, but understood. And as soon as the tenor crossed the Gávea gate, to the sound of the fans' chants of "Uh tererê!", the Shorty let out one of his pearls:
- The chubby one is a thousand. But it's a good thing he traded the ball for lyrical singing...
Photo caption: ROMÁRIO GIVES Pavarotti Flamengo's centenary shirt
Sports Journal
What a phase, Renato Augusto!
Number 10 attributes poor performances to physical problems and Joel asks for patience with the player
Nathan Lima and Thiago Bokel
Wallace Teixeira
Joel consults the notes on his inseparable clipboard. In the background, Renato Augusto, who is going through a period of low inspiration.
The mild atmosphere that settled over Gávea after Wednesday's significant win over Figueirense was contrasted by only one concern: Renato Augusto. Since returning from the U-20 World Cup in Canada, the player has been unable to replicate the strong performances that earned him the title of fan favorite.
But the bad moment, according to the player himself, has an explanation.
"Since returning from the World Cup, I've had a series of injuries that have hindered me. My last pain-free match was the debut against Palmeiras. After that, I only had two days of training and then the derby against Botafogo came up. But the fans don't care about that, only the results. I've never been booed before, but this is important because it increases my experience," he said.
The support provided by coach Joel Santana and his teammates has been crucial to Renato Augusto's recovery. In tomorrow's match against Internacional at Beira-Rio, he will once again be expected to play as a makeshift attacker. However, this won't be a problem.
"Sometimes I can't just think about myself. If it's better for the group for me to play up front, I'll do it without a problem. I'm hungry, what I want is to play, no matter the position, but my preference is midfield," admitted Renato Augusto.
Coach support
For the red-and-black coach, patience is needed with the midfielder. He believes the number 10 will soon regain his good form:
"We need to be calm with Renato. He's a talent, very important to the team and will still give us a lot of joy," predicted 'Father Joel'.
The coach's biggest question for this crucial match is who will replace the suspended Cristian. The red-and-black manager hasn't yet decided between Toró and Léo Medeiros to start. Jaílton, who has clearly lost his place, is playing on the outside and is unlikely to start.
To escape the slaughter once and for all
With the return of Roger, Juan & Co., Flamengo fights for victory at Beira-Rio
Nathan de Lima
Roger prepares for a great run for Flamengo in the Brazilian Championship
Another crucial match for Flamengo in this Brazilian Championship. After the significant win over Figueirense last Wednesday, the Red-Blacks face Internacional at Beira-Rio today at 18:10 p.m.
If coach Joel Santana's team wins, it will reach 32 points and tie with Colorado in terms of points.
To achieve this victory, the coach is counting on the returns of defenders Fábio Luciano and Ronaldo Angelim; left-back Juan; striker Souza and midfielder Roger.
The midfielder, who did not face Figueira due to his third yellow card, expects a difficult match, especially given the two clubs' situation in the competition.
"Internacional is on a losing streak and really needs to win too. The match will be tough, we're one point above the relegation zone, and we can't afford to let our guard down," said Roger, who believes a draw in Porto Alegre is a good result. "We're going in to win, but in this championship, getting points away from home is important," he added.
Joel Santana, who coached the Rio Grande do Sul team in 2002 and 2003, expects a tough match. The coach also spoke about his friendship with Abel, Internacional's manager.
"Their team is very good, they're the current world champions. I've worked there before, and it's a club I admire. They have a coach I really like. It's going to be a tough match, but we're prepared. We have to play with the same attitude we play at home," said Joel, who doesn't want to hear about the fuss at Gávea.
"There's a lot of championships ahead, we can't have the same attitude as before, when as soon as we got out of the relegation zone they were already talking about the Libertadores," he said.
Fernandão worries
One of the biggest concerns for the red-and-blacks ahead of today's match is the return of Colorado striker Fernandão. The striker, who rejected an offer from Flamengo to play for Internacional upon his return to Brazil, faces Flamengo after a 100-day layoff. Joel acknowledged the striker's abilities but ruled out the possibility of him being man-marked.
“When we talk about a team, we talk about a whole, and therefore, there will be no specific marking on just one player,” Joel added.
Marcio Braga expects agreement with Sérgio Cabral
With the possibility of the project to build the Gávea Stadium combined with a shopping center being vetoed by Governor Sérgio Cabral Filho, president Marcio Braga released an official statement on the club's website yesterday stating that Flamengo sees no problem in discussing another option to realize this long-held dream of the fans, of having their own stadium.
In the official statement, Braga stated that any alternative that is most viable for both the club and the city will be considered. The president also expressed concern about economic viability:
"CRFlamengo agrees to discuss with the State Government the possibility of studying the alternative of a smaller stadium, including commercial stores, in order to make the club economical, as is currently the case abroad."
Even though Flamengo wants to build a stadium in Gávea, it must participate in the bidding process to become the "new owner" of Maracanã.
Colace could replace Romulo in the next games
With the arrival of Argentine superstar Hugo Colace at Flamengo, a young player could lose his place in the red-and-black squad. Despite playing solid football with excellent tactical awareness, Rômulo, who has been playing very well under coach Joel Santana, will have to show much more than he has been to win the healthy battle against the King of the Jungle. Rômulo said he is very happy with the opportunities the coach has given him. He assured that if he continues playing among the professionals, he has everything he needs to give Flamengo even more.
"With each passing day, I'm gaining more confidence. I know I still have a lot to learn here, but I'm more mature now and ready to take advantage of these opportunities that coach Joel Santana has given me," said Rômulo.
With midfielder Cristian out, suspended after receiving a third yellow card, former Ipatinga player Léo Medeiros is expected to take over as Rômulo's midfield partner for the club today at 16 p.m. against Internacional. Considered a "wild card" by coach Joel Santana, Léo Medeiros said he's ready to play and warned that the recent praise he's received from the coach won't change his mind.
"Since I arrived at Flamengo, I've had it in my head that this was the best opportunity of my life, and so I'd always give 110% in training to perform well in games. And I think I'm achieving that. I've played very few games with Joel because I got injured shortly after he joined the club, but I made up for it to prove he could count on me. I appreciate the compliments, but they don't affect me. I'll always continue to be the same hard worker that got me here," said Léo Medeiros.
Jade makes history in gymnastics
For the first time, a Brazilian woman wins bronze in the individual all-around at the World Championships.
Jade led most of the race, but fell on the last apparatus and didn't win the gold medal.
Stuttgart, Germany — Rio de Janeiro native Jade Barbosa made history yesterday at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The gymnast, who had already shone at the Pan American Games, finished third in the individual all-around competition, winning the bronze medal.
This was the best result for a Brazilian gymnast in this category, which selects the top three after adding up the points from all apparatuses. The bronze in Stuttgart places the Flamengo gymnast among the best in the world.
And Jade came very close to the gold medal. The Brazilian led the competition until the final apparatus, the floor exercise. And just as she was about to seal her historic performance, Jade Barbosa fell, scoring just 14 points, which was crucial in her dropping out of the gold medal race. Even so, the result is worth celebrating.
The new jewel of Brazilian gymnastics achieved excellent results on vault (15,900 points) and balance beam (15,700 points). At the end of the competition, the joy of winning bronze outweighed the disappointment of falling on floor exercise. "I thought I'd lost the bronze on the tumble. When the scores came out, I celebrated," said Jade.
American Shawn Johnson, just 15 years old, won the gold medal, her second at this World Championships. Also a team champion, the gymnast performed exceptionally well on the balance beam and floor. Romania's Steliana Nistor took silver, and Italy's Vanessa Ferrari shared the bronze with Jade.
Today, Jade will go for gold. She will compete in the vault and balance beam finals and has a good chance. "She has a good medal chance on vault, with her rivals being China's Cheng Fei and America's Alicia Sacramone. Jade's first of the two vaults is very good," assessed Brazilian gymnastics team supervisor Eliane Martins.
Diego could be gold
Brazilian Diego Hypóllito competes in the floor exercise final today at the World Championships in Germany. The Brazilian is the favorite for the gold medal, and his biggest rival is China's Kai Zou. Diego, who qualified with the second-highest score, made changes to his routine, increasing the difficulty level.
Cabo Frio and Teresópolis win and Flamengo only draws
Bruno Batista
On a day reserved for rest and leisure, Flamengo's futsal team traveled to Macaé to face the home team. Flamengo went in search of a second victory in the State Championship, but it eluded them.
In a hard-fought match, Flamengo and Macaé drew 1-1. The two teams will play again next Friday. Flamengo faces Cabo Frio, and Macaé faces Drogarias do Povo in the third round.
The Gávea team came close to victory in yesterday's match. After going into halftime leading 1-0, coach Cid Escarlate's team allowed their opponents to equalize, which grew in the second half.
In the end, the only thing left to do was secure a result that wasn't entirely bad. After the game, the coaches of both teams shared the same opinions. Both considered the score fair, as each team dominated one half.
"It was a game of opposites. Flamengo, which is very close-knit, dominated the first half. But we had the upper hand in the second and Breno, Flamengo's goalkeeper (photo), was the name of the game," said Sávio Badini, Macaé's coach.
Scarlet Cid agreed:
"It was a good game, back and forth. I think the 1-1 result was fair. Both teams played well," said the red-black coach.
Others games
Two more matches completed the round. In Teresópolis, the home team defeated Canto do Rio 4-1. Playing at home, the team from the mountains had no trouble securing the three points. Playing freely, Teresópolis quickly took a 3-0 lead. Canto do Rio managed to pull one back before halftime, but lacked the strength to mount a comeback in the second half.
The Teresópolis coach was pleased with his team's performance, especially given the fact that he only had two players on the bench.
"We played a calm game. Since we didn't have many players on the bench, I set the team up for a counterattack, and it ended up working. We took advantage of the chances we had and got the win," said coach Max.
The opponent, however, regretted the wasted chances.
"We started out distracted and conceded three goals straight away. We corrected ourselves at halftime, but we missed clear chances to score and they ended up killing the game," said Celso Martins, Canto do Rio's coach.
América also suffered. The red team traveled to Rio das Ostras to face the Cabo Frio team, which couldn't play at its home stadium. However, not even playing on neutral ground helped the Devil, who felt the strain of the trip (due to the holiday traffic jam) and were thrashed 6-1.
O Dia
Flamengo: Strong emotions
Flamengo faces Inter and begins a string of important matches. Joel promises to maintain his stance against relegation.
Janir Junior
Rio - With the pose of a film director, Joel Santana recalled the past glories of Flamengo, considered Brazil's most beloved club, for an Australian documentary filmed in Gávea. But the team's current reality is quite different. According to the coach, the upcoming scenes, to finally banish the specter of relegation, will be full of emotion, starting today against Internacional at 16 pm at Beira-Rio.
Next, Flamengo will face teams either with ambitions for the top spots in the table or direct rivals in the fight for the second division. After Inter, it will be the turn of Cruzeiro, Vasco, Juventude, Atlético-MG, São Paulo, and so on.
"It's going to be intensely emotional. The week has to end well for us. We need to get victories to get out of this situation once and for all, as we still have a long way to go in the championship. Step by step, we'll improve so we can dream bigger," says Joel. And who knows what it means to dream bigger at Flamengo, which in recent years has always hovered near the bottom of the table.
The Rubro-Negro's record in 10 away games in this Brazilian Championship is not at all encouraging: just one win, four draws, and five losses. "Internacional's calling card says world champion. We'll face a very good team, with a great coach. In football, every day is a story. We're prepared and have plans to avoid falling back into the relegation zone," the coach assures.
The week began with a scolding from Joel. The 4-1 victory over Figueirense on Wednesday, despite a less-than-stellar performance, calmed spirits. With the return of starters like Souza, Roger, Juan, Fábio Luciano, and Ronaldo Angelim, the coach hopes to take another step forward in his quest to remain in the First Division.
Only then will future coaches be able to maintain Joel's classy pose to exalt, if not a present, at least a glorious past at Flamengo.
Portugal did good to Ibson
Rio - Amidst the ups and downs of the Gávea team, one player has maintained consistency with strong performances. Íbson, who returned from Porto to Flamengo, is responsible for organizing the red-and-black midfield. Calm and down-to-earth, the player says he has matured significantly.
"My time in Portugal was good. I came back feeling good and have done my best to help the team," says the player.
Raised alongside Íbson in Flamengo's youth academy, Renato Augusto is going through a different phase. The player has been performing very poorly and, at Maracanã, has been haunted by boos. "This bad phase will pass. Perhaps an away game could be beneficial, because, despite being upset, I knew how to handle the boos and learn from them," said the player, who will play further forward, alongside Souza, but is not discouraged: "I have to help the team however I decide."
Rômulo is another player who has been making his mark and has gained a strong competitor for the position. Hugo Colace, who reported on Thursday, will be cleared to play and could debut against Vasco on Sunday.
Like Renato Augusto, Léo Moura is also lacking a strong performance. In Wednesday's 4-1 victory over Figueirense, the full-back performed poorly both defensively and offensively.
RECREATIONAL TRAINING
The team held a recreational training session yesterday in Porto Alegre. Juan and Íbson were the goalkeepers. The session took place on the field adjacent to Grêmio's Olympic Stadium. After the game, Joel Santana instructed the players to practice finishing.
"We can't afford to slip up. We have to take advantage of our chances to try to win," analyzed the coach, who highlighted the fact that Flamengo is one of the teams that has committed the fewest fouls in the Brazilian Championship: "We can play hard, yes, but always get to the ball, without being unfair to our opponents."
Sports Gazette
Jade makes a mistake at the end, but secures a historic bronze medal
Suttgart (Germany) - Jade Barbosa narrowly missed out on winning a gold medal for Brazilian artistic gymnastics this Friday. At just 16 years old, the Rio native finished third in the individual all-around final at the World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Jade, who won gold on vault at the Rio Pan American Games, was leading the competition until the last of her four rotations, but made a mistake on floor exercise and finished with 60,550 points, sharing the bronze medal with Italy's Vanessa Ferrari. First place went to American Shawn Johnson, the Pan American champion in Rio de Janeiro, who finished her rotations with 61,875 points. Silver went to Romanian Steliana Nistor, who scored 60,625 points.
Jade took the lead with a score of 15,900 in her first performance on vault, securing first place in the rankings on uneven bars. Without a single mistake, the Brazilian achieved a score of 14,950 and reached 30,850 points, thanks to a poor start by Vanessa Ferrari – last year's all-around world champion – and a subdued performance by American Anastasia Liukin.
Leading the way after the second rotation, Jade easily cleared the beam with a score of 15,700, leaving Liukin far behind and with few threats from her rivals. However, on the final series, Jade let the top spot on the podium slip away with her floor routine. The gymnast from Rio de Janeiro made a mistake, putting her hand on the floor, and was deducted the equivalent of a fall, receiving a score of 14,000 from the judges.
With her score on the final apparatus, the lowest among the top 11 finishers in the final, Jade was overtaken by Shawn Johnson, who received a 15,425 for her performance. Romanian Nistor maintained her consistency and received a score of 14,975, securing silver by a margin of 0,075 points. Anastasia Liukin finished fifth with a 60,100.
Even without the gold medal, Jade still delivered Brazil's best performance in the history of the individual all-around finals, a year in which the country had never won a medal before—the best result had been Daniele Hypólito's fourth-place finish in 2001. Having achieved the highest score on Friday's vault, Jade will still compete in the apparatus final this Saturday before competing in the balance beam final on Sunday.
Flamengo visits Inter in a regularity match\ Gazeta Press\
Porto Alegre (RS) - Flamengo visits Internacional this Saturday at 16 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Beira-Rio stadium in Porto Alegre, in a clash between two teams still seeking regularity in the Brazilian Championship, which is now in its 25th round. The Rio de Janeiro-based Flamengo are coming off a 4-1 thrashing of Figueirense and, with 29 points, know that only a new victory will stave off the risk of ending the weekend in the relegation zone. Colorado, who lost 2-1 to Santos on Wednesday, have 32 points and only a victory will keep them in the fight for a spot in next season's Copa Libertadores. In the first round, the two teams drew 2-2 at the Maracanã.
Flamengo coach Joel Santana acknowledged that his team has been showing some shortcomings and needs to be more consistent to avoid risking relegation until the final rounds. He believes a win against Internacional will be very helpful in boosting the team's morale, as it's used to winning only at Maracanã.
"If we beat Internacional, we'll boost our morale for the upcoming matches. We're at a point in the competition where teams are starting to decide what they want to achieve in this Brazilian Championship, and we definitely don't want to just fight relegation. A string of good results is crucial, and it needs to continue with a victory in the South," commented the red-and-black coach.
Knowing that he'll be challenged heavily in Saturday's match, goalkeeper Bruno believes the most important thing will be to contain Inter's initial momentum, as they will attack in the opening minutes in search of a positive result. "Internacional thrives at Beira-Rio. We need to know how to contain their momentum, otherwise we'll suffer. However, if the game remains tied or we manage to open up a lead, their nervousness will likely take over and our chances of victory will increase," stated Flamengo's number one.
For this match, the Rio de Janeiro team has important reinforcements. Defender Fábio Luciano, left-back Juan, midfielder Roger, and forward Souza, all suspended, are available to the coach, as is defender Ronaldo Angelim, who has recovered from a left thigh injury. The bad news is midfielder Cristian, who is suspended and replaced by Léo Medeiros. Argentine forward Maxi, with a left thigh strain, remains out, and the attack will be formed by Renato Augusto and Souza.
For Inter, coach Abel Braga made no secret of the fact that the match against Flamengo is considered key to the team's planning in the Brazilian Championship. "We can't fight reality. We're a considerable distance from the Copa Libertadores qualifying zone, but we can close it. But that will only be possible if we win all our remaining games at Beira-Rio and maintain a good away record. Therefore, beating Flamengo is crucial to our planning," stated Abel Braga.
The Colorado coach believes this isn't the best time to face Flamengo. "Flamengo is stronger today than at the start of the competition, and we'll face a good team, with respectable individual talent that needs to be neutralized. But we also have our own weapons to win, and playing at home, we can't imagine any other result."
Inter's coach has good reason to celebrate the selection. Recovered from a pubic injury, striker Fernandão finally returns to Colorado after months away from the team. The team will also welcome the return of midfielders Magal and Guiñazu. Wellington Monteiro returns to the right wing. Regularized with the CBF, striker Gil is expected to be an option on the bench.
PeléNet
Inter and Flamengo face off, for now, to get out of the relegation zone
From the Editorial Office\In Porto Alegre\
Two of the biggest and most successful clubs in Brazilian football, Internacional and Flamengo, face off this Saturday afternoon at Beira-Rio Stadium in the opening round of the 25th round of the Brasileirão. With a glorious history, including eight national titles, two Libertadores Cups, and two World Cups, both are having a difficult season and, at the moment, are only focused on climbing the table and escaping the relegation zone, which leads to Série B.
The Rio Grande do Sul team hasn't won in three rounds and, after coming close to the Copa Libertadores, has dropped to 12th place, currently with 32 points. Flamengo, in turn, after long being in the group that will be relegated to the second division, has bounced back, unbeaten in five games and - with two fewer games played - is 2th, just three points behind Inter.
"It's a decisive game for us, against a very qualified opponent, we need the victory, and that's why I'm not going to predict the team," said Colorado coach Abel Braga, after the training session the day before the match, in which he made many changes and created a huge mystery, especially regarding who will form the offensive system.
He tested young Roger as an attacking midfielder in place of Pinga, and started with the attacking duo of Fernandão and Gil, who had only recently met and had never played together. Christian and Adriano, previously the two-time starters, were substitutes.
At Flamengo, coach Joel Santana also hasn't announced anything, but he does have four returning players who qualify the team. Defender Fabio Luciano, left-back Juan, midfielder Roger, and forward Souza are back. Regrettable are the absences of Cristian, suspended, and Maxi, with a thigh injury.
Roger, who returns after serving a suspension, warns that the team—which has only won once away from home—will go out looking for a win, but admits that a draw would be enough. "It's a tough game, because Inter plays very well at home and will have the important support of their fans. Of course, we'll try to win, but just getting a point would be good enough," he declared.
Escape from 'degola' does not erase red alert in Fla
With their 4-1 thrashing of Figueirense last Wednesday at Maracanã, Flamengo left the relegation zone and took a breather in the Brazilian Championship, rising to 14th place, two places above the bottom four. However, the relegation escape hasn't yet lifted the red flag at Gávea.
"We're just one point behind the teams in the relegation zone. When we're four or five points ahead of 17th place, that's fine, we can consider ourselves in a more relaxed situation. But for now, the light that's on here at Gávea is still red," commented coach Joel Santana.
Flamengo's situation still worries the club's coach because any slip-up could put the team back in the relegation zone. That's what happened to the team when they drew 1-1 with Sporting last weekend at the Maracanã.
Furthermore, this Saturday, the Gávea team plays again on the road, against Internacional, in Porto Alegre. As a visitor, Flamengo has only won one match in this Brazilian Championship – against Goiás, in the second round. "We can't get complacent under any circumstances," warned Joel Santana.
Fortunately for the coach, Flamengo will have five starters back for this match against Inter. Defender Fábio Luciano, left-back Juan, midfielder Roger, and forward Souza are back from suspension. Defender Ronaldo Angelim has recovered from injury.
Meanwhile, Argentine Maxi Biancucchi remains out with a left thigh strain. Midfielder Cristian is also suspended after picking up a third yellow card.
Thus, Flamengo should enter the field to face Inter with Bruno; Leonardo Moura, Fábio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Rômulo, Léo Medeiros, Ibson and Roger; Renato Augusto and Souza.
With an away win, Fla tests its good form against Inter in the South
After playing five consecutive matches at Maracanã, Flamengo achieved a record similar to that of leaders São Paulo and left the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship. Now, the red-and-black team, unbeaten in five matches, will test its momentum next Saturday, when it returns to play away from home, where it has only one win in the entire competition.
The opponent will be Internacional, in Porto Alegre. As a visitor, Flamengo only beat Goiás in the second round, on July 26th. Since then, they've drawn four games and lost five away from home.
Despite the poor record, midfielder Renato Augusto believes the Gávea team can secure a victory on Saturday. "We've only won one away game in this Brazilian Championship, against Goiás. Against Inter, if all the players contribute on the field, I'm sure we'll come away with a positive result," he commented.
Coach Joel Santana, however, avoids making promises to the fans. In fact, he admits that the team will need to excel to secure a victory over Internacional at Beira-Rio.
"We have to know how to perform away from home, because we've only won one game. We'll need to play with a lot of determination to get a good result," said Joel, who was full of praise for his opponent.
"Internacional is a great club, one of the best I've ever worked for. And it has Abel as its coach, who is one of the five-star coaches in Brazilian football, as well as being a friend," he concluded.
BalloonSport
Joel predicts a week of great emotions
Flamengo will face Internacional, Cruzeiro and Vasco in the Brazilian Championship.
Eduardo Peixoto
Joel Santana predicts difficulties in the next rounds of the Brasileirão
Starting this Saturday, Flamengo will have eight vital days in the Brazilian Championship. During this time, the team will play three matches considered "complicated" by the coaching staff.
The challenge begins away against Inter. On Wednesday, back in Rio, the opponent will be second-place Cruzeiro. Finally, the derby against Vasco on Sunday.
- We will have a week of great emotions - says coach Joel Santana.
Flamengo sits 14th in the table with 29 points. However, it's worth remembering that the team has two games in hand (Cruzeiro and Vasco) than most of its competitors.
"Theoretically, these fewer games are positive. But they don't mean points in the standings. If we lose, it won't do any good," says supporter Roger.
The day before, Ibson and Juan became goalkeepers
Fla participates in a lively kick-off match in Porto Alegre. The team is almost ready for Saturday.
With the short Juan and Ibson as goalkeepers, Flamengo held their last training session this Friday afternoon in Porto Alegre before the game against Internacional, this Saturday, at 16 pm, at Beira-Rio.
The lively recreational activity took place on the field adjacent to the Olímpico Stadium, which belongs to Grêmio. All the players participated, and after the kickabout, coach Joel Santana had the players practice finishing. Contrary to expectations, the weather in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul is not cold.
The team is almost ready. The only question is in midfield: Leo Medeiros and Toró are competing for Cristian's spot, who is suspended.
Flamengo will take to the field with: Bruno; Leo Moura, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Romulo, Leo Medeiros (Toró), Ibson and Roger; Renato Augusto and Souza.
Inter tries to avoid 'Rio de Janeiro' against Fla
Colorados lost to Botafogo, Vasco, and Flu at home. This Saturday is their last chance.
Playing at Beira-Rio against teams from any state has always been Internacional's strength. But in this Brazilian Championship, the stadium has become the stage for victories for Rio de Janeiro teams, including against Botafogo, Vasco, and Fluminense. To end the losing streak or even offset the deficit, the team hosts Flamengo this Saturday at 16 p.m.
GLOBOESPORTE.COM will broadcast the match live starting at 15:45 p.m. TV Globo (for Rio de Janeiro) will also be covering the match. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw at Maracanã Stadium (watch the highlights in the video above).
Uh, horror, Fernandão is a killer!
Internacional's position in the standings is starting to get worrisome. The team sits in mid-table with 32 points, closer to the relegation zone than the Libertadores. Recent results have put fans on edge. They're now three games without a win (two losses and one draw). Not even the return of coach Abel Braga has helped the team take off.
Fernandão returns to Inter after 100 days
But the Reds see a light at the end of the tunnel. Their hope is Fernandão. The striker trained with the starters this Friday at Beira-Rio and will return to the team against Mengão, likely in the second half. This guarantees the presence of the Colorado team's great technical reference on the field. He was away from the team for exactly 100 days.
Gil is expected to start the match alongside Adriano, with Roger and Guiñazu coordinating. Abel is keeping quiet about the lineup, partly out of respect for Flamengo.
"It's a tough game. Flamengo is doing well, they've gained some momentum, and they have a midfield that's a joke. It's a very tough match," comments the Colorado coach.
Victory to escape chaos once and for all
After five games at Maracanã, Flamengo hits the road again. Their home streak has left them with 11 points, and the relegation zone is a real, but not immediate, threat. Flamengo, with 29 points, sits in 15th place. However, another setback could bring chaos back.
"In the last eight games, we've lost one. We were ten points away from leaving the relegation zone, and now we're out of it. Even so, the danger still exists," says supporter Roger.
Roger will start for Flamengo on Saturday
Flamengo's record outside Rio is poor. They only beat Goiás in the second round, and in their last three trips, they've lost to Santos, Atlético-PR, and Palmeiras. But against Inter, there's hope for improvement.
After all, after thrashing Figueirense without six starters, the team will have almost everyone back. Juan, Fábio Luciano, Roger, and Souza served suspensions. Ronaldo Angelim, meanwhile, has recovered from the pain in his left thigh.
Argentine Maxi Biancucchi wasn't so lucky. On Thursday, he felt a left leg injury and was ruled out. Another absence will be midfielder Cristian, who received his third yellow card.
Fla agrees to discuss new project
Club releases statement admitting to planning another way to build the stadium
Flamengo's plan to build a stadium alongside a shopping mall in Gávea was vetoed by Governor Sérgio Cabral Filho, and the plan is expected to be published in the State Official Gazette early next week. Club president Marcio Braga released an official statement in response to the decision:
"CRFlamengo agrees to discuss with the State Government the possibility of studying the alternative of a smaller stadium, including commercial stores, in order to make the club economical, as is currently the case abroad."
Colace wants to be the captain of Fla
Argentine shows personality, says he would like to wear the armband and asks for the number 5 shirt
Marcio Iannacca
Colace trains to get in shape
Argentine Hugo Colace arrived at Flamengo showing personality. In his first interview as a Flamengo player, he spoke about his preferences and admitted that he would like to be the team's captain in the future. Furthermore, Colace wants to wear the number 5 jersey, the same one worn by Alejandro Mancuso, a fan favorite in the 90s.
- I'm thinking about being the team captain and I'd also like to be number 5. Let's wait for the first games - says the player, unafraid to reveal his preferences.
Colace did physical training on his first day of training with Flamengo. He's being prepared for the match against Vasco da Gama on the 16th at Maracanã. He's expected to have his first ball training session next Wednesday or Thursday.
Throw
Joel doesn't mention Cristian's replacement at Fla
Coach worries about Inter's lineup for the game\ LANCEPRESS!\
Flamengo coach Joel Santana declined to reveal who will replace Cristian, suspended for his third yellow card, for Saturday's match against Internacional at Beira-Rio. This is especially true after learning that Fernandão and Gil trained with the Colorado starters.
"I bet Abel (Braga) is trying to pull one over on me. He's very clever. I don't think he'll start with both of them. Let's wait and see," said the red-and-black coach.
Joel's concern about not advancing the lineup made Souza even joke with the coach when giving interviews.
Fla seeks second away win in the Brazilian Championship
Rubro-Negro wants to move away from the relegation zone against Inter
Fla has a very negative record away from Maracanã (Credit: Art by Allex Ximenes)
Divino Fonseca and Rafael Ximenes
Breaking the away drought. It's with this goal that Flamengo faces Internacional this Saturday at 16 p.m. at Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre, in the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship. Flamengo has only won one away match in the competition – a 3-1 victory over Goiás at Serra Dourada Stadium on May 20th. In addition, they have drawn four and lost five.
To get back to winning ways away from Maracanã, Flamengo will have five players back. Fábio Luciano, Juan, Roger, and Souza are back from suspension, and Ronaldo Angelim has already recovered from a left thigh injury. But coach Joel Santana will be without two players: Argentine forward Maxi Biancucchi, with a left thigh injury, and midfielder Cristian, who picked up his third yellow card in the 4-1 rout of Figueirense.
Coach Joel Santana knows the difficulties he will face, but he has the recipe for victory at the Colorado stadium.
"We haven't played too badly away from home in the last two games, but we lost. We have to be a little more cautious when we play away from home. We can't play the same way we do at home," said the coach.
Another motivation for the red-and-black team is to distance themselves from the relegation zone. The team sits in 14th place with 29 points, just one point ahead of Paraná, the first team in the relegation zone. A victory could also bring Flamengo closer to the Copa Sudamericana qualifying zone, where Atlético-MG leads, just three points ahead of the Rio de Janeiro team.
"When we're four or five points ahead of 17th place, that's fine, we can consider ourselves in a more relaxed situation, but for now the light that's on here in Gávea is still red. We can't get complacent in any way," said Joel Santana.
Having gone four games without a win, and already in 12th place with 32 points, Internacional is just four points above the relegation zone. And they're already looking at it with dread.
"We are, indeed, worried. We've been making too many mistakes, and that could cost us dearly. Hopefully, we'll get back on track with a win over Flamengo," says goalkeeper Clemer.
The hope is Fernandão. Recovered from pubic inflammation, the striker will return 100 days after his last game (against Pachuca in the Recopa Cup in late May), to start or come on in the second half, replacing Christian. Coach Abel Braga emphasizes that his captain is important not only for his talent, but also for the leadership and tactical discipline he imposes on his teammates.
Striker Gil is also expected to be available. The former Corinthians player, brought over last week from Gimnàstic Tarragona in Spain, has been granted legal status in record time. Defenders Sorondo, Uruguayan, and Orozco, Colombian, will only be released for the Gre-Nal match on the 16th.
The team will welcome the return of Guiñazú to the midfield. The Argentine, who served a suspension for his third yellow card against Santos, brings technique and movement to the midfield. But the main goal-scoring hopes lie with Adriano. The speedy striker, on loan from Adap, in Maringá, Paraná, is the team's top scorer in the Brazilian Championship, with eight goals.
Roger praises Flamengo's reaction
Back on the Flamengo team, midfielder Roger praised his teammates' performance in the team's recent Brazilian Championship matches. For the player, closing a 10-point gap to escape the relegation zone was no easy task. Roger also highlighted the return of the players who sat out the last match against Figuirense at Maracanã.
tv l! - This expectation they're creating with our return is acceptable, as we were practically at the bottom of the table and managed to get out of that situation. Now we have to keep winning games - he says. (Click and see)
Maxi wants to return to the Fla team soon
Argentine striker Maxi Biancucchi can't wait to return to Flamengo. For the player, the most important thing now is a full recovery from his injury without rushing. Maxi, with a good sense of humor, didn't fail to point out that he's increasingly adapted to Rio, even explaining the meaning of some soccer slang.
The new red-black darling also said that in Flamengo's current scheme there is no defensive strategy.
tv l! - Flamengo seeks the result at any moment. We don't play defensively; we always move forward, always looking for the opponent's goal - he comments. (Click and see)
Runco explains Maxi Biancucchi's injury
For the doctor, Fla's delicate situation may have been one of the causes of the injury\ LANCEPRESS!\
During Thursday's training match, Argentine Maxi Biancucchi felt pain in his left thigh again and was ruled out for Saturday's match against Internacional at Beira-Rio. Flamengo doctor José Luiz Runco assessed the striker's injury and said he will return to training soon.
"It's a muscle strain, a minor one. But Maxi struggled and ended up feeling it, so we're going to treat it. He'll be back training soon, but the muscle is tricky; when you think it's going to recover quickly, it can take longer," the Flamengo doctor told Rádio Tupi.
Runco stated that the delicate situation of the red-black team may have been one of the factors responsible for the injury of the Argentine striker.
"The player hadn't played for a long time and needed to make up for lost time. There are a lot of games and training sessions, not to mention the emotional toll of the club's current situation," José Luiz Runco added.
Rômulo will have special support against Inter
Volante was born in Caxias do Sul and his family goes to Beira-Rio
LANCEPRESS!\ Flamengo's Rômulo will have a special moment when he takes the field this Saturday against Internacional. The midfielder, who is from Caxias do Sul, will have his family present at Beira-Rio.\
– The whole family will come down to watch the game – he joked.
In addition to the presence of his family, Rômulo will be able to beat his great rival Grêmio, the club he supports and has even tried his luck with.
- I went to Rio de Janeiro when I was 12. Then I returned to the south, where I tried to play for Grêmio, but it wasn't what I thought it would be and I returned to Flamengo - he said.