Red-Blacks from Ceará are called up
Marcelo Lomba asks for the Nation's support in the match against "Vozão", at Castelão, on Wednesday
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
When Flamengo plays in the North and Northeast, they always receive a warm welcome from local fans. Even though they're a Rio de Janeiro team, Flamengo has one of the largest fan bases in the region, they feel at home in the "upper half" of Brazil. Next Wednesday (November 03.11), it'll be no different.
And goalkeeper Marcelo Lomba knows this. A native of Gávea and accustomed to the nation's support across the country, he's calling on the red-and-blacks of Ceará to turn out in force at Castelão and share the stadium with the home team.
"We'll be playing a direct match against Ceará. It's an important game, and the Castelão stadium will be packed and divided. They have two large fan bases, and I really enjoy playing in the Northeast. We're always welcomed well, with lots of people at the airport, and they show us a lot of affection. I think because we rarely play there, they support us a lot. We have to go there with that in mind," he noted.
The goalkeeper also urges the team to live up to the support it deserves from the fans on the field. According to him, the Sacred Mantle itself demands a lot of dedication in each match, and that must be repeated on Wednesday.
"We have to always play looking for victory. Flamengo's jersey demands it, and it's what the fans demand. We'll take this spirit to Fortaleza. We don't have to think about bad things. If the championship ended today, we'd be in the South American. We'll continue with this focus," he said.
Biggest crowd – In early August, a survey commissioned by Jornal O Povo and conducted by the Datafolha Institute revealed that the Red-Black team has the largest fan base, with 19% of the population. The survey interviewed 912 people in Ceará between the 14th and 15th of this month and asked the question: Which soccer team do you support? The responses were spontaneous and unique, with no option to choose between two teams.
Flamengo came in first with 19%, followed by Ceará with 13%, Fortaleza, and Corinthians with 9%. In the interior of the state, the situation is even more red-and-black. According to the study, Flamengo has 26% of the fans, followed by Corinthians with 11%. Ronaldo Angelim, from Ceará, wasn't surprised.
"I already knew about that. It's not new to me (laughs). I'm from Juazeiro do Norte, I played for a long time in Fortaleza and I know that Flamengo's fans are the biggest in Ceará," he added.
And goalkeeper Marcelo Lomba knows this. A native of Gávea and accustomed to the nation's support across the country, he's calling on the red-and-blacks of Ceará to turn out in force at Castelão and share the stadium with the home team.
"We'll be playing a direct match against Ceará. It's an important game, and the Castelão stadium will be packed and divided. They have two large fan bases, and I really enjoy playing in the Northeast. We're always welcomed well, with lots of people at the airport, and they show us a lot of affection. I think because we rarely play there, they support us a lot. We have to go there with that in mind," he noted.
The goalkeeper also urges the team to live up to the support it deserves from the fans on the field. According to him, the Sacred Mantle itself demands a lot of dedication in each match, and that must be repeated on Wednesday.
"We have to always play looking for victory. Flamengo's jersey demands it, and it's what the fans demand. We'll take this spirit to Fortaleza. We don't have to think about bad things. If the championship ended today, we'd be in the South American. We'll continue with this focus," he said.
Biggest crowd – In early August, a survey commissioned by Jornal O Povo and conducted by the Datafolha Institute revealed that the Red-Black team has the largest fan base, with 19% of the population. The survey interviewed 912 people in Ceará between the 14th and 15th of this month and asked the question: Which soccer team do you support? The responses were spontaneous and unique, with no option to choose between two teams.
Flamengo came in first with 19%, followed by Ceará with 13%, Fortaleza, and Corinthians with 9%. In the interior of the state, the situation is even more red-and-black. According to the study, Flamengo has 26% of the fans, followed by Corinthians with 11%. Ronaldo Angelim, from Ceará, wasn't surprised.
"I already knew about that. It's not new to me (laughs). I'm from Juazeiro do Norte, I played for a long time in Fortaleza and I know that Flamengo's fans are the biggest in Ceará," he added.
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