Brasileirão boss under pressure, vents: “We’re not Flamengo” | OneFootball

Mirassol manager Rafael Guanaes has been receiving criticism

One of the surprises of Brazilian football last year, Mirassol has had a turbulent start to 2026. Third from bottom in the Brazilian Championship, the team drew away to Bragantino on Wednesday (22) in the Copa do Brasil. The coach of the yellow team, Rafael Guanaes, opened up about the criticism he has received and mentioned Flamengo.

— Mirassol’s 2026 season is like this, the challenges keep getting bigger, each stage we manage to get through, within the identity we need to consolidate for 2026. We are always looking for new ways to stay competitive. The team ended up being very pragmatic, but did what was necessary to take home a good result. A cup match, a match for us to finish off at home —, said Guanaes.

— Two results in which we picked up points. We had been playing well without getting points. That’s what we’re looking for. That’s why I congratulate the squad. I’m happy to be able to count on more than just 11 players. I’m not too worried about the consequences, because there are a lot of matches and very tough opponents. We are Mirassol, we are not Flamengo or Palmeiras. We’re going to go through a lot of ups and downs during the season —, added the Mirassol coach.

WHAT CHANGED AT MIRASSOL?

In 2025, Mirassol only played in the Campeonato Paulista and the Brazilian Championship. After the strong performance last season, the team is now also playing in the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil. With a thin squad, the team has not been able to reproduce its strong performances and has suffered in the results.

HAVE FLAMENGO AND MIRASSOL ALREADY PLAYED EACH OTHER IN 2026?

Flamengo and Mirassol were supposed to face each other at the end of February in the Brazilian Championship. However, the match had to be postponed because of Mengão’s participation in the Recopa. There is still no new date for the clash. The second-round meeting, meanwhile, will be in August.

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