This Friday, Flamengo begins its preparations for the final stage of the year. Without counting the athletes called up for the selection, but with the inclusion of new faces, the team under the command of Leonardo Jardim has three friendlies planned and a series of procedures at Ninho do Urubu before traveling to Portugal, where they will spend their interseason.
Players will have training sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. The opening day will be dedicated to medical examinations and physical assessments, marking the effective start of activities. The team has a period of nine days until the departure towards the Algarve, scheduled for Sunday, the 28th.
The trip to Portugal will have two phases for the Rio team. First, the team will be in Lagos, from June 29th to July 5th. Afterwards, the delegation moves to Estoi, remaining until July 12th. The first challenge will be against River Plate, from Argentina, on July 3, at 7:30 pm (local time). Subsequently, they will face Lausanne-Sport, from Switzerland, on July 8, at 8:30 pm (local time). The friendly matches end on July 11th, against Benfica, at 7:30 pm (local time). All clashes will take place at the Algarve Stadium.
Details about Flamengo’s full interseason schedule
- June 19: Players return to Ninho do Urubu, at 10am.
- June 28: Departure for Lagos, in Portugal.
- July 3: Confrontation between Flamengo and River Plate, at 7:30 pm (local time, 3:30 pm Brasília).
- July 5th: Travel to Estoi, in Portugal.
- July 8: Flamengo’s match against Lausanne-Sport, at 8:30 pm (local time, 4:30 pm Brasília time).
- July 11: Game between Flamengo and Benfica, at 7:30 pm (local time, 3:30 pm Brasília time).
- July 12: Return of the delegation to Rio de Janeiro.
- July 22nd or 23rd: First match for the Brasileirão, Chapecoense x Flamengo.
Return of athletes and inclusion of young people from the base
Even without new players signed and without the nine athletes who are with their teams in the World Cup, Flamengo will count on the presence of young talents from the base in this return to activities. The technical team intends to use this time to closely evaluate the under-20 players and determine which ones will be part of the delegation in Portugal. This period is crucial for Leonardo Jardim to begin shaping the squad for future challenges, integrating the new generation.
Lorran and Rayan Lucas are other names confirmed for the reintroduction. The permanence of both in the main squad is still open and will be decided after analysis by coach Jardim. The expectation is that the club will provide new loans so that athletes can gain more experience on the field.
All other players are expected at the training center. Names like Léo Ortiz and Saúl, for example, decided to bring forward the end of their vacations, dedicating themselves to specific training to improve their physical conditioning. Ortiz is recovering from an injury, and Saúl, after surgery at the beginning of the year, is looking to regain his best performance.
Among those absent from the team are Alex Sandro, Léo Pereira, Danilo, Lucas Paquetá, Arrascaeta, Varela, De la Cruz, Plata and Carrascal. The expectation is that these players, who were called up for the World Cup, will not participate in the training phase in Portugal. Even if their teams are eliminated early, they must have a rest period. It is worth mentioning that the camp on Portuguese soil is scheduled to take place between the second phase and the quarter-finals of the world cup, demonstrating the club’s planning to not interfere with the athletes’ participation in the main competition.