Sports
Flamengo Reaps Millions After Masterclass at Maracanã
Victory over Cruzeiro boosts Copa Libertadores prize money and cements tactical growth under Leonardo Jardim.
Flamengo secured a spot in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals and has already accumulated roughly R$40 million in prize money. Bernardo Ramos breaks down the tactical dominance over Cruzeiro and the team's evolution under Leonardo Jardim.
Flamengo secured its spot in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals and has already earned around R$40 million in prize money in the continental tournament. For Bernardo, the team currently plays the finest soccer in South America and faces a promising knockout stage path, anticipating a likely matchup against Independiente del Valle—their conqueror in the 2023 Recopa and rival in 2020.
In the video above, Bernardo Ramos analyzes the match and details the tactical factors that shaped the result at the Maracanã.
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Tactical superiority and space between the lines
The game reading heavily favored the home side compared to Arthur Jorge's decisions. The Cruzeiro coach opted for a two-man defensive cover on Pedro, which created a numerical disadvantage in the offensive phase: Gerson, Caio Jorge, and Matheus Pereira had to press Ortiz, Pereira, Jorginho, and Pulgar. Consequently, defensive midfielder Jorginho found freedom building from the back, enabling the squad to easily exploit the space between the opponent's lines.
Within this favorable collective setup, individual players stood out, with a specific mention for Emerson Royal, highlighted by Bernardo as one of the best on the pitch. The journalist emphasized two core virtues of Leonardo Jardim's work: the ability to read opponents and adapt the team to the demands of the tie, and the skill to extract peak performance from every player in the squad.
Impact of training sessions and historical comparison
The upturn in form coincides with an 11-day break without official fixtures due to the Copa do Brasil schedule, an interval used for rest days and tactical training. Prior to that break, the team had drawn against São Paulo at the Maracanã and Internacional away from home. Following the training period, the squad strung together four solid performances against Vitória, Cruzeiro, Mirassol, and Cruzeiro once again.
The attacking volume displayed in the first half, when the team created 14 chances in the opening 35 minutes, was described by Bernardo as the closest performance to Jorge Jesus's 2019 Flamengo—evoking memories of the 5-0 rout over Grêmio in that year's semifinal. For the analyst, recent displays point to a clear upward trajectory.
Palmeiras' situation and Abel Ferreira's remarks
In contrast to the Rubro-Negro's momentum, Bernardo discussed Palmeiras' qualification after edging Cerro Porteño 1-0 in Asunción. Despite advancing to face the winner between Mirassol and LDU in Quito, the São Paulo outfit put in what was deemed a very lackluster performance.
Finally, the commentator pushed back against Abel Ferreira's post-match press conference remarks, in which the manager claimed football was "sick" for devaluing runners-up. In Bernardo's view, the Palmeiras boss himself feeds this narrative by frequently casting doubt, citing remarks about "asterisks" and assistant João Martins' comments regarding the system in 2023.
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