Boto likens Flamengo signings to Pulgar: “He was a donkey”

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Coluna do Fla

·4 September 2026

Boto likens Flamengo signings to Pulgar: “He was a donkey”

Flamengo official welcomed the new signings and recalled that Pulgar was also criticized when he arrived at the club

José Boto gave an interview before the presentation of Joaquín Freitas and Anthony Valencia this Friday (04) at CT Ninho do Urubu. The Rubro-Negro official used the moment to welcome the two new players to the squad and compared their arrival to that of Erick Pulgar, who is now one of the team’s main players.

What did José Boto say about Anthony Valencia and Joaquín Freitas?

– I’m going to ask you to be patient with them and give you an example of how things work here. Pulgar, who today is a player everyone here writes wonderful things about, and rightly so, arrived as a “bagre,” a “bagre” as you say – he said, before concluding: – Many of you wrote that he was a “bagre.” No, no, alright then. So, close your ears to the analyses and keep your eyes on these players, who today are hugely important players, but who also arrived with “bagre” analyses and today are stars,” José Boto concluded.

Why did José Boto mention Erick Pulgar’s case?

Erick Pulgar arrived at Flamengo under heavy suspicion from part of the fans and the press. During this whole period, in fact, the Chilean has had ups and downs while wearing the Sacred Shirt. At the moment, however, the No. 5 is a key piece in Leonardo Jardim’s tactical setup.

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Given this situation, Flamengo extended the contract of Erick Pulgar, which was set to expire in 2027. Now, the midfielder belongs to Rubro-Negro for two more seasons, that is, until December 2029.

What is the expectation for Valencia and Freitas at Flamengo?

With José Boto’s remarks, expectations surrounding Valencia and Freitas’ adaptation to Rubro-Negro have grown. Therefore, the official’s message seeks to prepare the environment for possible early difficulties for the two signings. In this way, Fla is trying to shield the new players from excessive pressure right upon arriving at the club.

In an interview after Flamengo’s victory over Mirassol, goalkeeper Rossi commented on Joaquín Freitas’ arrival. In the view of Mengão’s No. 1, the fans need to be patient with the player, considering that it is not easy to leave home at a young age and face the pressure of playing for Mengão.

WHAT DID ROSSI SAY ABOUT JOAQUÍN FREITAS?

— The most important thing for him nowadays is the welcome. He lives near my hometown too, and he’s a kid who also comes from the lower divisions in Argentina, just like me. He made his debut in the third division, me too, at almost the same age as him, though he was even younger, at 16. So I think the most important thing for him nowadays is for us to help him adapt. Argentine football is not the same as Brazilian football. Brazilian football is one step above, and until he adapts we have to try to help him — Rossi began. — He’s coming to help, even though he’s very young. I’ve followed some of his matches, I know what he’s like on the field, and from the little I was able to see of him before he came here, I think he’s going to help a lot. But the only thing I can ask is patience with him, because it’s hard to leave home so young and come to a team the size of Flamengo, which is the biggest in Brazil, one of the biggest clubs in the world. Even if he is used to that pressure there at River, I think it will be different here and we have to help him find his footing quickly — Rossi concluded.

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