Saúl admits sacrifice to regain top fitness at Flamengo: “Pain kills me” | OneFootball

After undergoing heel surgery, Saúl is still dealing with pain

Flamengo announced the signing of Saúl Ñíguez on July 23, 2025. Since then, the midfielder has won the affection of the club’s fans and players. However, after undergoing heel surgery, the Spaniard says he has been having difficult days.

In short, during an interview with ABC in Seville, Spain, Saúl highlighted how difficult it has been to adapt mentally and physically to the conditions of Brazilian football. In addition, the midfielder said that there are days when he cannot train because he still feels pain in his heel.

— I’m not used to it, and it has been difficult, both mentally and physically. I came on and, with my first touch of the ball, I got an assist. But three days later, I came on at halftime and our pitch was in terrible condition, very hard; it’s awful for my tendon. I went through some very difficult moments after the match -, he said, before adding:

— There are days when I can’t train; when I play on a hard pitch, the pain kills me. Then I played on synthetic pitches, which aren’t good either. I’m struggling because I don’t feel in the best condition to help the team; I’m far from a level that is acceptable to me -, he added.

Was Saúl sidelined?

Yes! That’s because Saúl started dealing with heel pain in the final stretch of the 2025 season. Therefore, at the end of the year, the midfielder spoke with Flamengo’s Medical Department, and together they decided the player should undergo surgery.

As a result, Saúl was sidelined for more than four months. Finally, the midfielder made his 2026 season debut in the 2-0 win over Bahia on Sunday (19), also providing the assist for Lucas Paquetá’s goal.

What are Saúl’s numbers at Flamengo?

Saúl joined Flamengo in July 2025 after terminating his contract with Atlético Madrid (ESP). So far, the midfielder has played 29 matches wearing the Sacred Mantle. In addition, the player has three assists and was part of the squads that won the Brasileirão and the Libertadores under Filipe Luís.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Saúl available, Flamengo face Independiente Medellín (COL) this Thursday (07) at 9:30 p.m. Brasília time, in Colombia, in the fourth round of the Libertadores group stage. The match will be broadcast on ESPN, on pay TV, and on Disney+ Premium via streaming.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.