After a training match held on Monday afternoon (12), which ended in a 4-0 victory for Flamengo, defender Rhodolfo was officially presented as the newest reinforcement for the team led by coach Zé Ricardo. In a press conference in the Victorino Chermont Press Room, at Ninho do Urubu, the new number 44 spoke to journalists alongside president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello and football director Rodrigo Caetano.
The details of the negotiation were revealed by the club's director, who emphasized the player's desire to wear the Sacred Mantle (Flamengo's jersey). "Rhodolfo signed a contract with us until the end of 2019. Again, as with almost everyone here, his personal desire prevailed. After inquiries from other clubs and even offers, he chose to accept our invitation," said Caetano, who commented on the negotiation with the defender's former club. "It was something that took time because he had more time left on his contract with Besiktas, and we managed to reach an agreement for him to come permanently," he added.
The football director also provided an overview of the squad composition plan, in addition to praising the player's leadership profile. "As we had planned before, we reinforced all sectors for the Brazilian Championship and for this entire upcoming semester. Rhodolfo has something beyond being a great player. Wherever he has been, he has always become a great leader, and that is fundamental for us. A positive leader is the profile that Flamengo has been adopting in the composition of its squad, and he has that characteristic," he observed.
Next, it was the turn of the number 44 to speak to the microphones. Rhodolfo revealed that he has been following Flamengo's games since the beginning of negotiations, praising the work done by coach Zé Ricardo. "He's an excellent coach. I've always heard great things about him. I've followed Flamengo from afar. I've been trying to watch the squad and the games for a while now. He's an excellent person, a coach who has a great future ahead of him and the total confidence of the group," he praised.
The defender also clarified details about his current physical condition in response to rumors that he was not fit to play. "Since I returned from surgery last year, I haven't gone back to physiotherapy. I even had fans asking me about it, sending messages. On the internet, there were many comments from people saying I was injured, but that's not the case at all. It was an injury I recovered from even sooner than expected, which would have taken seven months, and I was back to training normally in five months. I'm 100%," he added.
Rhodolfo also praised the competition for spots in the team's defensive sector, highlighting the quality of his new teammates. "The competition has to be healthy. They are very high-quality players, from the Brazilian National Team. If I'm not mistaken, last year Flamengo's defense with Réver and Rafael Vaz was one of the best in the history of the league format in Flamengo's history. There are many quality defenders. I think it's good when a squad has several quality players. We have to help each other in the best way possible every day, in training and in games," he concluded.
Finally, the athlete celebrated the fulfillment of a long-held dream. "I always dreamed of wearing this jersey. It's the biggest fan base in Brazil and one of the biggest teams in the world. When my agent told me that Flamengo was interested in signing me, I didn't think twice. I'm incredibly happy. I'll try, along with my teammates, to improve with each game so that at the end of the year we can celebrate together," he concluded.
Later, the Flamengo president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello responded to questions raised about the disagreement last Sunday (11), before the match against Avaí, at Ressacada. The president apologized to the fans who felt offended by what happened, contextualizing what actually occurred.
"First and foremost, I am a Flamengo supporter. Long before being president, I was a supporter. In 2019 I will return to the stands, so I would never give the middle finger to the Flamengo fans. I would be giving it to myself," he said. "What happened was that a supporter was carrying a banner hostile to Rodrigo Caetano, brandishing the banner in my direction, and I made a negative gesture to him. Then he became exasperated and started to insult me. That's when I really acted in a way I shouldn't have. This happened around three o'clock in the afternoon, before the game started," the president explained.
"I stayed there and the fans treated me with great consideration and affection, many chanting my name. Even after that happened, my positive interaction with the fans continued. If by chance anyone in the crowd, whether present or outside that area, felt offended or didn't like it, I offer my sincere apologies. I even acknowledge that it's not part of the decorum of the president's office to be giving the middle finger to fans in the stadium," he apologized.
Rhodolfo will return to Ninho do Urubu this Tuesday (13), when he will continue with the series of evaluations that will be carried out before the athlete starts activities with his new teammates.