Under-20 coach praises exchange with Bayer 04's professional team
Bruno Pivetti highlights the 'great opportunity to face a team of the highest level'
By Communication - in
Flamengo's under-20 team: training match with Bayer 04 will be this Friday (18), at 14:30 pm, in Gávea. Photos: Gilvan de Souza
Having qualified for the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, the Garotos do Ninho will face a formidable challenge. Flamengo's team in this category will face the main team of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, from Germany, this Friday (18), at 14:30 pm (Brasília time), at the José Bastos Padilha Stadium, in Gávea. There will be no ticket sales.
The German champion in the 2023-2024 season, Bayer 04, has chosen Brazil, specifically Rio de Janeiro, as its training base for the upcoming season (2025-2026). The German team is conducting its preseason training at the George Helal Training Center, a benchmark for training centers in Brazil and abroad. Training will take place in the area designated for youth teams until the 23rd.
According to Bayer 04's official website, the German team's first match of the 2025-2026 season will be broadcast live worldwide via Werkself.TV, with commentary in English. Flamengo TV, ESPN USA, ESPN Latam, Sky, Dazn, and VG (Norway) will also broadcast the match. The same publication also expects Brazilian legends who have played for the German club, such as Paulo Sérgio, Renato Augusto, Ramon Menezes, Henrique, Zé Elias, and Rodrigo Chagas, among others.
A grandstand with a capacity of approximately 04 has been set up for guests on the opposite side of the Gávea Stadium's traditional concrete seating structure. Among the guests, Bayer XNUMX will welcome groups of students from Rio de Janeiro schools, who will be able to interact and take photos with former players who played for the German team. Guests, employees, and regional leaders from the parent company Bayer will also be present, strengthening the club's sporting and cultural ties with Brazil.
For the red-black side, coach Bruno Pivetti will lead the team for the third time, after a 4-2 draw with Botafogo and a 20-14 victory over Atlético-MG, in the previous round of the Brazilian Under-30 Championship, last Monday (23). Flamengo is in fifth place in the competition, with 15 points and will play next Wednesday (XNUMX), at XNUMX pm, against Fortaleza, at CT Ribamar Bezerra, near the capital of Ceará. It will be the last round of the classification phase.
Even though it was a preseason friendly for Bayer 04, Pivetti emphasized the possibility of facing a major European team. It was a remarkable exchange that will remain etched in the memory of the Rubro-Negro's under-20 youth.
"It's going to be an extremely important game for our team. It's an international challenge, and this experience for the players will greatly benefit their development and overall development. We're preparing well for this match. We'll have our U-20 team and some players from the professional football department so they can gain playing time," said the coach, detailing the players' use:
"It's a demand of professional football so that we can have a competitive team and make the most of this great opportunity to face a team of the highest level, considering the European market, in addition to being able to represent Flamengo well."
On Thursday afternoon (17), at CT George Helal, the coach led the last activity before the training match against Bayer 04. Athletes and coaching staff are seeing the match as an excellent opportunity to enrich their careers, in addition to preparing the team for the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship and also for the decision of the Intercontinental Under-20 Championship, against Barcelona (ESP), champion of the Uefa Youth League, on August 23, at Maracanã.
Four athletes from Flamengo's professional squad will participate in the friendly against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, which will be held this Friday (19), in Gávea. Goalkeeper Matheus Cunha, defender Cleiton, left-back Viña and attacking midfielder Matheus Gonçalves will be on the field. The presence of the players reinforces the importance of this meeting, which will be a celebration of the partnership between two major brands in world football, in addition to being a unique opportunity for the youngsters of the Rubro-Negro under-20 team to develop in an environment of international competition.