André Rizek slams media bias against Flamengo: “It’s been building…” | OneFootball

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André Rizek slams media bias against Flamengo: “It’s been building…” | OneFootball

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Coluna do Fla

·17 September 2025

André Rizek slams media bias against Flamengo: “It’s been building…”

Article image:André Rizek slams media bias against Flamengo: “It’s been building…”

Flamengo Continues to Cause 'Discomfort' Among Rival Fans

Flamengo is by far the most popular club in Brazil, besides dominating South American football titles in recent years. However, the 'sovereignty' of Mengão has been bothering some rival fans and sports professionals. Journalist André Rizek, for instance, criticized the way Fla is treated by the media.

See André Rizek's Quote:

Man, there are people who confuse me, like, who think I'm anti-Flamengo because I talk about media coverage. In the 80s, I asked my family for a birthday gift to see a Flamengo and Zico game at Maracanã. I was fascinated by Zico's team, by Flamengo at Maracanã and such. And then, when I moved to Rio de Janeiro in 2010, my first shock was with the media coverage. And the first thing I noticed is that, man, Flamengo gets noble treatment. So, for example, Flamengo wins the Taça Guanabara. Guanabara belongs to Mengão! Then, Botafogo wins the state championship. Botafogo wins the depleted state championship. Wait a minute, something's different. Vasco is going to play against Real Madrid? The headline is vice again! Look there! Flamengo loses to Liverpool. Congratulations, Flamengo! Great match. Ronaldinho playing for Flamengo. Ronaldinho sneezed. Ronaldinho! Then, Vasco beat Aurora, the biggest international win in Vasco's history. Four lines. And then, you get the Flamengo fan used to it being like this. During the World Cup, I said that John Arias was, in my opinion, the best player, the most complete player active in Brazil. But what about Arrasca? I didn't talk about Flamengo, now I'm talking about Arias. You can't praise anything outside of Flamengo. It's nothing against the club. A media culture has been created in Brazil that is all for Flamengo and for others, p*, mockery, you know? Flamengo is the most popular club in Brazil. It's a very powerful brand. But others also need to be treated with respect. That's all," said Rizek, in an interview with 'Charla Podcast'.

And the Treatment Regarding São Paulo Teams?

Despite what André Rizek said, Flamengo also has reasons to complain. This is because part of the red-black fans notice a different treatment from the media towards Flamengo and São Paulo teams, especially Palmeiras.

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It's no wonder that some red-black fans get 'annoyed' when a simple victory by Flamengo is criticized, while a win by Palmeiras with the same score is praised by some journalists.

How is Mengão Doing in the 2025 Season?

While some continue to be 'itchy' with Flamengo, Filipe Luís's team keeps making history in 2025. At the moment, Mengão is leading the Brazilian Championship with 50 points. Right behind, in second place, is Cruzeiro with 47.

Moreover, Flamengo is about to compete in the quarter-finals of the Libertadores. After eliminating Internacional in the round of 16, Mengão will face Estudiantes (ARG) in search of a spot in the semi-finals of the continental tournament.

When Do Flamengo and Estudiantes Face Each Other?

Flamengo and Estudiantes will face off this Thursday (18th) at 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at Maracanã, for the first leg of the Libertadores quarter-finals. It's worth noting that the return match will take place on the 25th at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium.

As usual, Coluna do Fla will provide full coverage of the game through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, ESPN (cable channel) and Disney+ (streaming) will broadcast the match between Flamengo and Estudiantes.

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

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