Filipe Luís speaks out on Flamengo contract talks: "It crossed the line..." | OneFootball

Filipe Luís renewed with Flamengo for two years

The professional team of Flamengo kicked off the 2026 season with a 1-0 victory over Vasco. After the triumph in the third round of the Carioca, Filipe Luís made a strong statement about the renewal process with Fla.

For the coach, the process, which was long and drawn out, ended up ‘getting out of hand’. However, Filipe Luís’s opinion is mainly in relation to many statements made, especially by fans, during the ‘soap opera’ of his contract renewal.

What did Filipe Luís say?

— Well, as I said last year: I wanted to stay, Flamengo wanted me to stay, and from what I understood, the fans wanted me to stay too. So, the interest was there. But we are not easy people, I am not an easy person, Bap isn’t either, Boto isn’t either, and neither are the agents. That takes time, but in this whole process, things got out of line.

— What I heard really made me very sad. Coaches or players who want to make decisions can’t be seen as either mercenaries or as being kicked out the back door. It can’t be both exits. So, I think first you have to wait, let it end, and then people can say what happened.

— But this pre-judgment really hurt me a lot, made me very sad with everything that happened, but I believe it was the best for everyone. I’m where I wanted to be. I told you, I never lie when I sit here. I’m very happy to be sitting in this chair once again, putting everything I’ve done on the line so far, with new challenges and renewed energy -, he vented.

What happened?

In summary, Filipe Luís’s renewal took so long that Flamengo even started looking for alternative plans in case the situation didn’t move forward. However, after a long negotiation that lasted since the beginning of December, the coach renewed for another two years.

In short, the sticking point in the negotiation was the salary agreement with the rest of the coaching staff. After everything was resolved, Flamengo and Filipe Luís finalized the renewal on the eve of the new year, almost at the last minute.

What now?

Now, Filipe Luís will remain at Flamengo until the end of 2027 and will have a packed schedule in 2026. First, there’s the Campeonato Carioca. In the meantime, the Most Beloved will also compete in the Supercopa do Brasil, the Recopa Sudamericana, the Copa do Brasil, the Brasileirão and the Libertadores.

The next game for Flamengo this season is on Sunday (25), against Fluminense. For the derby, the red-and-black board will reconsider whether the professional team returns to the field or if the alternate squad will represent Fla.

The fact is that the derby will take place starting at 6pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. Flamengo and Fluminense face each other for the first time this year with live broadcast by Rede Globo on free-to-air TV.

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