The Globe

RENEWAL AT FLA

Signed by Flamengo in July 2006, midfielder Léo Medeiros is expected to have a decision on his case early this week. His contract expires at the end of the month, but Flamengo's board and coach Joel Santana have already expressed interest in him staying. Flamengo has a good relationship with Cruzeiro, which holds his rights, and the deal is well underway. With his sights set on the Libertadores, he doesn't want to leave.

Ancelmo Gois Column

Race, love and passion

Following the CBF, which even awarded it an award, and Cesar Maia, who decided to register it as an intangible asset of Rio, Nike also decided to ride the wave of success of the Flamengo fans. The manufacturer of Flamengo's uniforms created a special line of shirts and jackets for men and women.

This one in the photo, worn by midfielder Ibson, an idol of the fans, pays homage to Raul, the goalkeeper who wore yellow and was the backbone of the world champion team in 1981. Mengôôôô!

Sports Journal

Bruno very close to renewing with Flamengo

Kleber Leite shows optimism when talking about the possibility of the goalkeeper staying at Gávea

Thiago Bokel

Goalkeeper Bruno should continue as the owner of the number 1 shirt. The board is optimistic

After much negotiation, Flamengo is finally close to finalizing the purchase of goalkeeper Bruno's federation rights from MSI, the investment group to which he is linked. The only obstacle is the offer made by two Italian clubs, one of which is Milan, for a cash payment. Even so, vice president of football Kleber Leite is very optimistic about the progress of the negotiations.

"Bruno's intention to stay at Flamengo is already a big step toward resolving this situation positively. We now have a viable alternative to finalize the deal," the director stated.

Fla-TV Funds\ The possibility of keeping Bruno is based on the funds that will come from Fla-TV, and the purchase would be paid in ten installments, which didn't please the foreign group. For this reason, the player's agent, Eduardo Uram, doesn't consider the negotiations finalized yet.\

"I believe this case will be resolved by next week. The biggest problem is that both Italian clubs proposed paying upfront, but that's not that difficult to get around," said the agent.

Initially, Flamengo would propose purchasing 50% of Bruno's rights, but with this Fla-TV alternative becoming increasingly viable, there is a possibility of the club acquiring the goalkeeper's full federative rights.

MSI asked for a hefty 2,5 million euros (approximately R$6,5 million) to release the player, who would sign a five-year contract with Fla.

Ancient history

In June of this year, Bruno's renewal was very difficult to complete, and this hindered the goalkeeper, who made mistakes a few times, a rare occurrence lately.

The number 1's permanence was considered a priority by Kleber Leite at the start of the season.

Just like Bruno, midfielder Cristian is also expected to remain at the club, despite the pressure from Lokomotiv Moscow, from Russia, who have not yet formalized an official offer for the player, whose economic rights are divided between Flamengo and Atlético-PR.

On Friday, Atlético's football powerhouse, Mário Celso Petráglia, confirmed this information.

With this, even without having announced any signings yet, except for midfielder Kleberson, Flamengo has already managed to maintain the base of the team that qualified for the Libertadores.

The club's vice president of football, Kleber Leite, has said several times that the club will not make many signings for 2008.\ At most, four players should arrive.\

Cesar Maia will receive the red-black number 12 shirt

After Rio de Janeiro mayor Cesar Maia announced the listing of Flamengo's fan club as a cultural asset in Rio de Janeiro, yesterday it was the board's turn to respond to the tribute. President Marcio Braga confirmed yesterday that he will deliver the number 19 shirt to the politician on the 12th of this month, who makes no secret of his passion for one of the club's biggest rivals, Botafogo.

"I will present the number 12 shirt on behalf of the fans for this beautiful tribute that the mayor paid to the nation. Some distinguished fans will also be present and we will also bring the Charanga (fans' band) to this ceremony," said the club's president, Marcio Braga.

Acosta - According to Kleber Leite, the signing of Uruguayan Beto Acosta will not happen. The player was the second-highest scorer in the last Brazilian Championship with 19 goals. Flamengo even approached the foreigner in August, but a problem arose. "His agent wanted to hold an auction, offering Acosta to several clubs. The chances of him wearing the Flamengo jersey, from this point on, are zero," said the director, who also denied that Conca was close to signing with the club, as has been speculated. Since, by law, clubs can only have three foreign players on their roster, if Acosta and Conca were signed, Flamengo would have to release one of the Argentines, Colace or Maxi.

Former Inter player, Bolívar could be an option for the red-black defense

As vice president of football Kleber Leite previously announced, Flamengo is looking for a defender, and one name that has been heavily discussed in recent days is Bolívar, currently with Monaco in France. The player won the Copa Libertadores in 2006 with Internacional and reportedly has the experience needed to compete in the South American competition. However, negotiations won't be easy.

The only club to submit an official offer for the defender was Cruzeiro. Inter itself approached him, as the current sheriff, Índio, is believed to be leaving. Flamengo didn't actually approach him, but businessman Reinaldo Pitta, who wields significant influence in Gávea, consulted the player's agent, known in soccer circles as Neco, to see if Bolívar was interested in playing in the Libertadores for the red-and-black club.

"What player wouldn't want to play in the Libertadores for Flamengo? The fans' celebration during the Brazilian Championship was wonderful," Bolívar praised.

Rival Cruzeiro\ Although the defender shows interest in playing at Gávea, Flamengo is behind in the fight for the player, as Cruzeiro will play in the qualifying phase for the Libertadores, having finished fifth in the Brazilian Championship and has already formalized its interest.\

Furthermore, coach Abel Braga is very fond of his football and wants to take him to the South. Bolívar has a newborn son and is asking his current club if there's a possibility of a one-year loan to a Brazilian club.

Toró is of interest to German football

Supporter Toró is on fire. Besides being called up by coach Dunga to the Olympic team, which will play a friendly against the Brazilian Championship team tomorrow at 16 p.m. at Engenhão Stadium, the player has received an offer from a German football club, but no one at Gávea would reveal who the offer came from.

Torozinho, as he is affectionately called by coach Joel Santana, had not been playing a great role at Flamengo until the middle of the year, and therefore, many within the club are approving the athlete's possible departure, but if it depends on the coach and his teammates, Toró will remain at Gávea until the end of his contract, which ends only in October 2010.

The player is just 21 years old and stood out in the youth ranks of Fluminense, where he earned his nickname for making it rain on the field, before transferring to Flamengo in 2006.

In the race, Mengão is in the decision

In a comeback, the team beat Macaé and will now fight for the third State Basketball Championship

Mariana Land

Duda goes for the tray and scores two points for Flamengo

In a sensational comeback, Flamengo defeated Macaé 79-78 (37-42) yesterday at the Hélio Maurício gymnasium in Gávea, closing out the best-of-three series of the State Basketball Championship semifinal playoffs 2-0. Now, the red-and-black team, which remains undefeated and is seeking its third championship, awaits the winner of the Vasco vs. Fluminense series.

Macaé, capitalizing on three-pointers, took the initiative and controlled the score in the first two quarters. Coach Paulo Chupeta constantly changed Flamengo's formation, but the team from the interior of the state came back to take the lead: 42-37. In the third quarter, the red-and-black team forced the defense to induce mistakes. Macaé, however, maintained its consistency, undaunted by the pressure from the crowd, and managed to hold the lead until the end: 64-56.

In the final quarter, Flamengo came out swinging and gradually chipped away at Macaé's lead. Marcelinho and Duda put in strong individual performances, as did Fred, and Flamengo took the lead with two minutes remaining. The fans did their part, and after a controversial play, Flamengo took the lead, scoring two points through Fred and taking a four-point lead with five seconds remaining. Macaé hit a three-pointer, but it was too late.

Both teams criticized the refereeing.

"There was a lot of grappling allowed. That's not basketball. But Flamengo's victory was worth it," said Marcelinho, a standout player for Flamengo.

On Macaé's side, coach Enio Vecchi was more emphatic.

"I don't want to take anything away from Flamengo, but the refereeing left a lot to be desired. There was a lack of discretion. It's a shame because the refereeing abroad is a different style," the coach lamented.

FLAMENGO

Marcelinho (21), Fred (9), Amiel (6), Coloneze (3) and Alírio (5) Entered: Hélio (15), Wagner (1), Fernando (11) and Duda (8)\ Coach: Paulo Chupeta\

MACAÉ

Leandro (27), Gianechini (16), Cazé (7), Caçamba (12) and Lucas (11)Entered: Daniel (5), Cristiano and Marcelão.\ Coach: Enio Vecchi\

Location: Hélio Maurício Gymnasium, in Gávea

Marcos de Castro

Gourd Bath

Fight for the title

Marcos de Castro castro@jsports.com.br

The old soccer saying goes, "fans don't win games." And it's true. The best proof of this is the 2007 Brazilian Championship: if fans had won, Flamengo would have been champion—but a runaway champion, not just any champion. To be champion in 2008, Flamengo must have a team that matches the greatness of its fans, the greatest passion among all Brazilian clubs, among all clubs worldwide.

Riding the wave of a moving crowd, which impressed all of Brazil in 2007, breaking attendance records with each new round, Flamengo has a moral obligation to field a great team in 2008. President Márcio Braga knows this; he was the one who started buying Carpeggiani (until then known as Paulo César, at Inter, a master player) and Cláudio Adão, when he was elected for the first time, in 1977, if my war-weary memory isn't betraying me.

What happened then? With their great team in place, Flamengo, which already boasted homegrown talent like Zico, absolutely dominated Brazilian football in the 80s. The fans laughed for no reason—and they had reason to: Flamengo was champion every other year (and sometimes every other year). For example, in the eight years from 1980 to 1987, they won the Brazilian title four times (80, 82, 83, and 87), and in 81 they won the Libertadores and World Cup, inaugurating the great South America vs. Europe showdown that was then held in Tokyo and is now in Yokohama. Now, they haven't won a title in 15 years.

Flamengo already has a coach for anything, the old fox Joel Santana knows things like few others. The club needs to build a team that won't betray its fans, their incomparable love. That's not to say the 2007 team deserved this title. Far from it. The team didn't betray its wonderful fans; it was a worthy team, but it lacked stars, and every team with a championship potential must have them.

Flamengo can't keep crying over the old refrain that there's no money. Money is invented—and for a powerhouse like Flamengo, that's not difficult. Then the stars will come, and the titles will return. And the fans will once again support the thief.

O Dia

After all, do fans win games or not?

Fans put on a show and reignited the debate over whether the strength of the stands makes a difference: supported by the crowd, Flamengo reached the Copa Libertadores. Corinthians fans, however, cheered in vain, and the team was relegated to the Segunda Division.

Janir Junior

Rio - The 2007 Brazilian Championship was marked by the return of fans to stadiums and reignited an old controversy summed up in the phrase: do fans win games? Shouting with passion, love, and passion, the red-and-blacks began supporting Flamengo, still in the relegation zone, and with a show of colors and unwavering support, they led the team to the long-awaited Libertadores berth.

But what about Corinthians? Even with the support of the Fiel (the faithful), who, as the song goes, sang that they were a bunch of lunatics who screamed until they were hoarse, the team was relegated to the second division.

There is also the example of Bahia, which rose from the Third to the Second Division, with the highest average of all clubs in Brazil, including Flamengo: the Bahians had 40,4 thousand paying fans per match.

People connected to the football world weigh in on the matter and comment on the demonstrations in the stands. For former player Júnior, it's safe to say that Flamengo's fans carried the team to the Libertadores. "In the past, like in the '92 Brazilian Championship, the team carried the fans. This year, the fans helped the team turn things around," believes Júnior.

For Corinthians, the fans also put on a show in the stands, but watched the team be relegated to the second division. After the relegation, the board thanked them for their support, saying: "I will never abandon you because I love you. We are Corinthians. Thank you, warriors and loyal fans."

For Corinthians fans, the power of the stands wasn't enough, as the club has endured extremely turbulent times off the field. But to return to the Brazilian football elite, they guarantee they will make a difference and show that the Fiel wins games. "We will continue to be the stars, and everyone else just supporting actors. We performed wonderfully, showing the world that, even in defeat, the passion of the thirty million Corinthians fans never fades," said Betão, a member of the Gaviões da Fiel. Fábio Luciano played for Corinthians and is now with Flamengo. He affirms that the fans make the difference, especially the red-and-black fans: "Here, it's different. The fans show up and support us in an impressive way."

Leonardo Moura also highlighted the power of reversing a situation with the support of the crowd: “The fans certainly helped us.”

Nonato, the second-highest scorer in Série C with 19 goals, says the Bahia fans' unwavering support helped the team win at Fonte Nova. "They pushed us to victory," says the player.

The deaths of seven fans due to the collapse of part of the stands left everyone saddened. But what will remain in the memory of the 2007 Brazilian Championship will be the fans who, in victory or defeat, made the difference.

THE NUMBERS OF THOSE WHO ARE ON THE RISE

FLA RECORDS\ Flamengo fans broke attendance records in the Brazilian Championship, bringing 82.044 paying spectators against Atlético-PR, and surpassed the mark of one million fans in the stadiums.\

BEST AVERAGE\ The 2007 Brazilian Championship ended with the best average attendance of the last two decades. There were 17.424 paying spectators per game, which hadn't happened since 1987.\

BAHIA TAKES OFF\ In the middle of Série C, Bahia, which moved up to the Segundona, had an average of 40,4 thousand fans, surpassing Flamengo, which had an average of 39.221.\

STOVE ON THE RISE\ Botafogo's average attendance throughout the 2007 season was excellent: 24.659 paying spectators per game. At Maracanã, where the club played 32 matches, around 820 paid fans, giving the club an average of 25.721.\

SMALLEST AMONG THE 4\ Among the four Rio clubs, Vasco had the lowest average attendance in the Brazilian Championship: 15.143 paying spectators per game. Fluminense had 17.071, and Botafogo, 17.730.\

Flamengo wants to count on defender Bolivar in 2008

Rio - Flamengo will have to compete with Cruzeiro to secure its first signing for the 2008 season and, most importantly, the Copa Libertadores. The Gávea club is interested in signing defender Bolívar, who won the Copa Libertadores with Internacional in 2006.

The defender is currently playing for Monaco in France and has a contract valid until mid-2011. However, he has already revealed that he is aware of Cruzeiro's interest, but emphasizes that he would be very happy if he had the opportunity to defend the colors of the Minas Gerais team or Flamengo in the main South American competition.

Sports Gazette

Flamengo will present Mayor César Maia with the number 12 jersey\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo's board confirmed this Saturday that on the 19th it will present the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, César Maia, with a club uniform, with the number 12 shirt.\ The measure is a return for the politician's gesture, who last week declared the red-black fans a Cultural Asset of Rio de Janeiro for the important role they played during this year's Brazilian Championship.\

In this competition, the red-and-black fans were responsible for eight of the ten largest attendances in the competition, all at Maracanã, in addition to the record: 82.044 paying spectators in the victory over Atlético-PR, on November 25, which guaranteed qualification to the Copa Libertadores da América.

Flamengo is looking for an experienced defender for next year\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo's board is looking for a defender with international experience to bolster the team for the upcoming Copa Libertadores. This player would be joining Fábio Luciano, despite Ronaldo Angelim having a good year at Gávea. The name reportedly being discussed with the board is Bolívar, who plays for Monaco in France and played for Internacional in Brazil in Porto Alegre. The player has even given several interviews saying he intends to return to Brazilian football because his wife is homesick.

But two factors could keep this player away from Flamengo. First, Monaco's Brazilian coach, Ricardo Gomes, is counting on him. Furthermore, Cruzeiro is reportedly in much more advanced negotiations to repatriate the defender.

"We don't want to keep talking about names, as that hasn't contributed to the negotiations moving forward. Flamengo is interested in every great player and intends to further strengthen its team. But at the right time, everyone will be notified about signings," said Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, trying to dispel speculation.

PeléNet

Flamengo still struggles with delayed salary payments

From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\

2007 was a very good year for Flamengo on the field. The Red-Black team won the State Championship and finished third in the Brazilian Championship, securing a spot in the next Copa Libertadores da América. However, off the field, things were far from rosy.

Flamengo's players, and especially its employees, have not yet received their October and November salaries. The athletes' bonuses for the State and Brazilian Championships have also not been paid.

The club's board, through president Márcio Braga, has not commented openly on the matter. However, the expectation is that everything will be settled by the 15th.

Flamengo is only waiting to receive the money from Petrobras, the club's sponsor, which is frozen in court. The amount has not been confirmed, but it is estimated to be around R$15 million.

Romulo is confident of a quick recovery to return to Fla

From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\

Rômulo's recovery has surprised everyone at Flamengo. The midfielder ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Flamengo's 2-1 victory over Vasco da Gama on October 18th at Maracanã in the Brazilian Championship. A starter for the team before the injury, the youngster has made no secret of his goal of returning to the team as soon as possible.

"I've been progressing well. I'm gaining muscle mass very quickly and I'm getting stronger. I think my recovery will be faster than six months (the time stipulated by the medical department)," he said.

Rômulo intends to be available to coach Joel Santana for the Guanabara Cup (first round of the State Championship).

Current Rio de Janeiro champions, Flamengo will debut in the competition on January 20th, against Boavista, at 16 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã.

Joel Santana, Flamengo coach and celebrity

Joel in the arms of the people: he said yes at the feet of Christ the Redeemer. Joel Santana has become a celebrity. Celebrated by Flamengo fans as the hero of the team's strong run in the Brazilian Championship, he is now capitalizing on his fame. He already announced his stay at Flamengo in front of Christ the Redeemer. Now, he will be one of the stars of the Hanukkah celebrations, a Jewish holiday.

On Sunday, he will light the sixth candle on the giant candelabra, part of the celebrations for the Jewish holiday called the Festival of Lights. The candle will be lit at Posto 4 on Copacabana Beach, where there will also be a children's dance performance, a music show, and the distribution of doughnuts and more than four thousand chocolate coins.

On the holiday of Chanukah, the Jewish people celebrate the victory of a small minority against the Greeks, an empire that at the time dominated the world and opposed the practice of other religions. Since then, Jews around the world have celebrated the joy of regaining religious freedom and preserving their identity. The Chanukah lights are a reminder of a single, small vessel of pure olive oil recovered from the ruins of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It was only enough to light the candelabra for one night, but miraculously illuminated the Chanukah for eight days.

2007 edition of the Brazilian Championship values ​​fair play

Paulo Cobos\ From Folhapress\ In Sao Paulo\

The Brazilian Championship that ended last Sunday was no stunner in terms of technique, but at least it placed a high value on fair play.

The competition ended with an average of 44 fouls committed per match. This is still higher than European leagues, which hover around 30 infractions per match. But it's far lower than the national average since the 80s.

Since Datafolha began tabulating this statistic in 1988, the current average is the second lowest in history. It's second only to the 1988 championship, but back then the institute didn't collect data from every match, as it does now, when the tournament has had 380 matches since May.

The current average represents 16 fewer fouls in 90 minutes than what happened, for example, in the 1999 Brazilian Championship.

As with other statistics, Corinthians again performed worse than average in terms of violence. Especially after coach Nelsinho Baptista took over, the club committed more fouls, finishing fourth in terms of infractions (23,4 per game).

Teams and players who held the record for fouls committed in the championship that ended with São Paulo as champions would be featured in the violence rankings of past editions of the main national competition.

In 2007, for example, the team with the most fouls was Juventude, with an average of 24,3 infractions per match. With this number, the Rio Grande do Sul club would not be among the seven teams with the most infractions in any Brazilian Championship played between 1995 and 2006.

Those who committed a little more fouls were penalized in the standings, disproving the theory that the number of infractions is advantageous to the team committing them. The four relegated teams (Corinthians, Paraná, Juventude, and América-RN) were among the six with the most fouls committed. The three with the fewest fouls (Fluminense, Flamengo, and Santos) were among the top five in the standings.

No player this season has averaged more than four fouls per game.

The record holder was midfielder Júlio César, with 3,6 per game. With that number, he wouldn't have made the top 10 in the individual list for all the National Championships played between 1994 and 2003.

The drop in fouls has led to a significant drop in the number of cards issued. The number of expulsions has fallen by about 25% compared to last year, and the number of yellow cards by 10%.

Retaliation and complaints were constant reasons for expulsions, so much so that the record holder for red cards was an attacking player - the good and temperamental Uruguayan Acosta.

Despite not always maintaining rigor in second instance trials (as in the case of Atlético player Coelho after his aggression against Cruzeiro player Kerlon and his "seal dribble"), the STJD was tough in curbing violent acts.

The same rigor wasn't always applied to coaches - even after ordering his players to "get" Santos' players in a defeat, Joel Santana left without serious punishment.

In addition to fair play, the Brasileirão-07 offset its low technical level with strong ticket sales growth, driven primarily by Flamengo and its average attendance of 40 fans at Maracanã per match. The average was 17,2 paying fans per match, the highest in the points-based era and a growth of about 40% compared to last year.

BalloonSport

Bolívar in the sights of Flamengo and Cruzeiro

Defender, Libertadores champion with Inter in 2006, could play in the tournament in 2008

Defender Bolívar celebrates Internacional's goal. Athlete could return to Brazil: Flamengo or Cruzeiro

Defender Bolívar, a 2006 Libertadores champion with Internacional, is being targeted by two Brazilian clubs competing in the 2008 Copa de las Américas: Flamengo and Cruzeiro. The Flamengo board has already confirmed its intention to sign a defender for next season. Agents linked to Raposa have inquired about the player's situation.

The defender, who plays for Monaco in France, said he was aware of the Minas Gerais team's interest through his agent, Neco Cirne, and admitted to returning to Brazil next year. The athlete has been out of the country for a year and a half.

Flamengo or Cruzeiro?

"I have a daughter, Victoria, who was born two months ago, and my wife misses home, and that's a big factor. I like playing in major competitions and competing for titles. Not that that doesn't happen here. But Monaco is a mid-table team. And Flamengo and Cruzeiro are great Brazilian teams, with structure and will compete in the Libertadores, a competition I once won with Inter. If it happens, I'll be very happy to wear the jerseys of both Cruzeiro and Flamengo," declares the defender.

Bolívar also expressed great anxiety about defining his future. He even set a deadline for this. The defender's contract with Monaco runs until March 2011.

"I think it should be a one-year loan. But I'll wait. The Brasileirão has just ended, and the players are a bit anxious about the future. Adilson Batista has just arrived at the club (Cruzeiro) and must be looking at some players. Maybe this week or the next, a decision will be made," he says.

Fla defeats Macaé and is a finalist in the Carioca

The team manages to turn the tables in the final quarter and awaits Vasco or Fluminense in the final.

Flamengo is the first finalist of the Rio de Janeiro Men's Basketball Championship. The red-and-black team secured a spot in the final after beating Macaé 79-78 (37-42 at halftime) this Saturday. Flamengo's opponent in the final comes from the other semifinal, between Vasco and Fluminense.

The game began with Macaé playing very well, marking Flamengo intelligently and capitalizing on possession. The red-and-blacks, on the other hand, lacked the determination that the fans at the Hélio Maurício Gymnasium in Gávea had hoped for. With strong performances from Leandro and Cazé, Macaé finished the first quarter ahead, 22-17.

In the second quarter, with more defensive effort, Flamengo leveled the score. Despite not taking the lead, the team tied the quarter at 20-20, ending the first half with a five-point lead over their rivals, the same as the first period (37-42). The standout performer in the first half was Macaé forward Leandro, who scored 16 points, including nine three-pointers.

In the second half, with improved defense and the support of the fans, Flamengo began to mount a comeback in the third period. Despite trailing 22-21, the team showed better quality in possession, lacking only in finishing. The eight-point deficit at the start of the fourth period (64-56) began to shrink when Flamengo changed its defense, starting to pressure Macaé's passing game. As a result, Macaé began to miss passes, and the Red-Blacks took advantage, especially with Hélio, who hit good shots from the dead zone.

With 2:15 remaining, point guard Duda pulled off a sensational dunk, turning the score to 72-71 and lifting the crowd at Gávea. From then on, Flamengo controlled the score, and not even a three-pointer from Macaé with the clock running down prevented the Red-Blacks from securing their spot in the State Championship final.

Corinthians will partner with Flamengo

The two clubs with the largest fan bases in Brazil will have a joint marketing campaign

Flamengo's Leo Moura escapes marking against Corinthians

The marketing partnership with Flamengo will be one of Corinthians' strengths in boosting its bank account in 2008. In the view of vice-president of marketing, Luis Paulo Rosenberg, the union of the country's two largest fan bases will be crucial.

"It's better to keep this positive spark alive with Flamengo than to try to fuel the rivalry with Palmeiras or São Paulo. Ultimately, we're leading the force of good," explained the person responsible for Timão's marketing plan.

President Andrés Sanches also doesn't hide his excitement when it comes to the partnership.

"If you combine Corinthians and Flamengo, Brazil's biggest passions, you can negotiate everything. We have 55% of the soccer consumer market," Andrés told the "SporTV" channel.

Fla will present Cesar Maia with jersey number 12

In return for Rio's mayor, the club will pay tribute to the Botafogo mayor.

Flamengo intends to reciprocate Rio de Janeiro Mayor Cesar Maia's tribute to Flamengo fans. According to Flamengo president Marcio Braga, the club's board will meet with Botafogo fan Cesar Maia on the 19th and present a gift on behalf of the entire fan base.

- We're going to take the number 12 shirt, the Flamengo fans' shirt, to the mayor as a thank you - said Marcio Braga.

Some fans will also be present at the visit and the band Charanga Rubro-Negra is also expected to participate.

This week, the City Hall declared the red-and-black fan club a Cultural Asset of Rio de Janeiro. It was a tribute to the red-and-black nation for its active participation in the Brazilian Championship, with eight of the ten largest attendances in the competition, as well as a record: 82.044 paying spectators against Atlético-PR.

Throw

Bolívar is in Flamengo's sights for the Libertadores

The defender is at Monaco and was offered to the Rubro-Negra team

Bolívar was the Libertadores champion with Inter in 2006

Guilherme de Paula RIO DE JANEIRO

act Rodrigo Benchimol RIO DE JANEIRO

The Flamengo board has already announced its intention to sign a defender for the Libertadores. Bolívar, from Monaco in France, could be the chosen one. Offered at Gávea and wanted by Cruzeiro, he confirmed that he would love to play in the competition for Flamengo.

Bolívar said he intends to return to Brazil for family reasons. He won the Libertadores Cup with Internacional in 2006—meaning he has the winning record demanded by Joel Santana and the board under Abel Braga.

"I spoke to my agent, who told me that some Brazilian clubs are interested. But I don't know which ones. I have a two-month-old daughter, and it would be better to return because of that," Bolívar told LANCE!, looking excited when he learned that one of the clubs is Flamengo.

"I'm very happy. What player wouldn't want to play in the Libertadores for Flamengo? I watched the Brasileirão and saw the fans' celebrations. Imagine what they would be like in the Libertadores?" the defender added.

A starter at Monaco, a club with which he has a contract until May 2011, Bolívar has already spoken with the French board about a one-year release. According to LANCE!, his loan would cost around US$500 (approximately R$884).

His agent, known as Neco, confirmed the interest of Flamengo and also Cruzeiro.

"There are indeed some talks with Flamengo, but I'm not taking care of that. But who wouldn't want to play for Flamengo? I think the chances of that happening are currently 60%," said Neco.

Bolívar was offered to Fla by businessman Reinaldo Pitta, who, like the vice-president of football, Kléber Leite, could not be reached this Friday.

Businessman wants Jônatas for a year at Fla

Initially, the midfielder would be loaned to the club for just six months

LANCEPRESS!

Jônatas' signing will only be finalized next week. At least that's the club's board's prediction of future developments. The midfielder has already expressed his desire to return to Flamengo, as he is not being used at Espanyol (ESP).

To make this happen, businessman Eduardo Uram has been conducting negotiations cautiously. His focus is managing Jônatas's career, and a stint at Gávea would be beneficial for him to shine again.

Because of this, the length of the contract negotiated so far will be a new topic in future talks with Spanish officials. Initially, Jônatas' arrival was only for the Copa Libertadores, meaning a six-month contract.

However, this period is considered short for the objectives of the midfielder's return to be achieved in Brazil.

"The six-month solution seems palliative to me. As the player's representative, a longer period would be better. His departure from Flamengo was traumatic when he transferred to Espanyol, and it would happen again if he stayed here for only six months," Uram explained.

Therefore, the solution should be to negotiate a one-year contract. However, Spanish officials are not rushing into the matter and are still considering whether or not to use Jônatas in 2008.

They understand that a free loan is unfeasible and that Flamengo will have to pay for it. The Spanish press reported Flamengo's interest in the player, emphasizing that Jônatas is the only one with the same characteristics as the injured De la Peña.

Charity game will bring together champions from 87

Former Flamengo players will participate in a match hosted by Zico

The All-Star Game, a charity match organized by Zico, will have a special attraction this year. It will be the first time that the Flamengo team, the 1987 Brazilian champions, will reunite after their triumph.

In addition to the red-and-black stars, other important players have been confirmed, such as Nakata, Arce, Júnior, Amoroso, Carlos Alberto, Emerson, Seedorf, Vagner Love and Serginho.

Another attraction at the event will be Ana Paula de Oliveira, who will referee the match. She has already confirmed her attendance.

The match will be on the 27th of this month (a Thursday) at Maracanã Stadium. Tickets will cost R$10 for the stands and R$6 for field seats.

Fla surpasses itself and guarantees a place in the final

The red-black team starts badly, but reacts and beats Liga Macaense (79 to 78) in the last minutes

The red-black team showed its power to react in the last quarter

Felipe David RIO DE JANEIRO

Flamengo is the first finalist of the Men's State Basketball Championship. On Saturday night, coach Paulo Chupeta's team confirmed their favoritism and defeated Liga Macaense 79-78 (37-42 at halftime) at the Gávea gymnasium, in the second match of the competition's semifinals. In the first match, Flamengo won 90-82 in Macaé.

In the other semifinal, Vasco leads 1-0 against Fluminense and is one win away from securing its spot in the final. The next match takes place this Sunday at 10 a.m. (Brasília time) at Club Municipal.

O JOGO

The first half started very evenly. Flamengo, appearing nervous, struggled to overcome the opposing team's strong zone defense and ended the first quarter trailing 22-17. In the second quarter, the red-and-black team organized its offensive plays more calmly. However, it was excessively lacking in defense, allowing the Macaense League to go into halftime five points ahead: 42-37.\ The situation remained unchanged in the second half. With Marcelinho Machado heavily guarded, Flamengo was unable to create good plays and was vulnerable to the quick counterattacks of coach Ênio Vecchi's team.\

But in the final ten minutes of the game, things were different: despite the excessive errors from both teams, Flamengo showed greater unity than Liga Macaense and capitalized on counterattacks to stay close. The Macaé team relied heavily on winger Gianechini and showed little inspiration on offense. Flamengo, on the other hand, relied on strong performances from Duda, who produced a play worthy of an NBA star. With the support of the enthusiastic fans, Flamengo closed out the match 79-78 and secured a spot in the final.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

FLAMENGO - Fred, Marcelinho, Amiel, Coloneze and Alírio. Coach: Paulo Chupeta

MACAENSE LEAGUE - Daniel Caçamba, Leandro, Ricardo Gianechini, Cristiano Baierle and Marcelão. Coach: Enio Vecchi