Promise of another great goalkeeper raised in the youth academy
With Lomba as the starter, Paulo Victor takes over as second goalkeeper and says he is ready to help Fla
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - inIn 2007, Paulo Victor was Flamengo's starting goalkeeper in the Rio de Janeiro junior championship and, at the same time, the fourth-choice goalkeeper in the professional team. For the next two years, no longer old enough to compete in the under-20 competitions, he continued working with the main squad until, in 2010, after having already been a member of the squad that won three Rio de Janeiro championships in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and the Brazilian championship in 2009, he took a major leap in his career.
First, at the beginning of the year, Diego didn't renew his contract with the club, thus promoting Marcelo Lomba to the reserve goalkeeper position and Paulo Victor to the third goalkeeper position, which earned him a spot in the Copa Libertadores da América. This achievement was celebrated by the number 27. Little did he know that the second half of the year held even greater surprises. Goalkeeper Bruno ended up having his contract with the club suspended, Lomba became the starter, and Paulo became Flamengo's second goalkeeper.
A 23-year-old from Assis, São Paulo state, PV, as he's known to his teammates, is available to Rogério Lourenço to make his professional debut for Flamengo if necessary. In an exclusive interview with the club's official website, the goalkeeper spoke about his friendship with Marcelo Lomba, his plans for the future, and praised goalkeeping coach Cantareli.
Check out the full chat below:
Marcelo Lomba: Lomba is a guy who deserves it. Anyone who follows Flamengo's day-to-day life knows that. He's having a wonderful time, and it's no surprise that he's been performing well in the games. We knew that when this time came, he would be rewarded. I'm happy for him.
Goalkeepers revealed at the club: Flamengo has a long tradition of developing goalkeepers in-house. This is a great place to start. Today, we have myself, Marcelo, and Diego, who is also a young man with a lot of potential. A player who can play and thrive at Flamengo can play anywhere.
Cantareli: Cantareli, for everything he represents at Flamengo, already deserves his recognition. And now even more so. He arrived here with great tranquility, confidence, and above all, great humility. He's a club idol and has helped us immensely.
Career: I've been here for four years. I've had offers to leave the club, but I've evolved here and today I'm Flamengo's second-choice goalkeeper. I've learned a lot over the years and even joke with some friends that I've won everything wearing this jersey: three-time Rio de Janeiro champion, both as a professional and junior, two-time OPG Cup champion, Brazilian Championship...
Cast: I see little difference compared to the 2009 championship group. The full-backs are the same, the center-backs are the same, the midfield, in the starting lineup, is practically the same... The big difference is in attack. But, regardless of that, what matters is that the atmosphere is the same. There's a lot of commitment, a lot of desire, and we know that can make a difference.
Base creations in the professional: Everyone says it, but it's impossible not to repeat it. Flamengo produces stars at home. We're seeing further proof of this now with Lomba, Rômulo, Diego Maurício, and Paulo Sérgio, who have been incredibly important to the team. I'm even happier to have played with some of them and to have them all alongside me now in the professional ranks, which is a dream come true for those who come through the youth ranks.
Future-Proofing: I'm ready for whatever it takes. If, for some reason, Marcelo can't be on the field, you can be sure the goal will be well protected. I work hard every day so that when the opportunity arises, I'm ready. The goalkeeper position is the most difficult because you have less game rhythm and much more pressure. But we know this when we enter this profession and we have to always be alert because opportunities come when we least expect them.
Rogerio Lourenço: Rogério is proving every day what a coach he is. He's been working his way, correcting the team's mistakes, and in these first few days back in the Brazilian Championship, we've already noticed the changes in the team.
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