Filipe Luís: Titles haven’t sunk in, wants Flamengo renewal | OneFootball

Filipe Luís is still in awe of his first full year as the coach of Flamengo. Three days after leading the Rubro-Negro to the Libertadores title, he was a key figure in winning the Brazilian Championship, which came after a 1-0 victory over Ceará on Wednesday at Maracanã.

Filipe secured his fifth title since taking charge of Flamengo in October 2024. Despite a short career, the coach already has a Copa do Brasil (2024), a Brazilian Championship (2025), a Libertadores (2025), a Campeonato Carioca (2025), and a Supercopa do Brasil (2025) on his resume. The coach, of course, shared all of this with the team.

“I am really happy, it still hasn't sunk in because I'm already thinking about the next game [laughs]. Everything happens so quickly, there's not much time to celebrate. I hope they [the players] are clear about it because I've lived the other side. There's nothing like being a champion as a player. But they made history,” he stated.

“When I took over last year, I said they were the best, and I truly believe that. They are the best in everything, the numbers don't lie. What solidifies my comment is having the trophy in the locker room. They won't be able to enjoy it now because we have a game on Wednesday, but in years to come, they will see. They are eternal at the club, they are giants. I feel very proud to be able to lead this group of champions,” he continued.

Despite the success on the national and international stage, Filipe Luís still doesn't have a guaranteed stay at Flamengo for next year. The coach's contract ends in December this year, and there are ongoing talks for renewal. However, the coach reinforced his desire to stay at the club and said that if it were up to him, he would already be renewed.

“In Brazil, it's already complicated to have a long-term job. The pressure from the fans, media, and internally makes coaches last less, even though the culture is changing. At Flamengo, it's even harder. It's a coach grinder due to the pressure. It's tough, you are really crushed. The opinion convinces the fans, and turning things around is not easy. […] I understand how difficult it is to stay in the position. If it were up to me, I'm renewed. But it's not just up to me. Of course, I want to stay, I'm happy here, and so is my family. I have to earn the right to sit in this chair. I will continue doing this until they allow me,” he emphasized.

Preparation for the title game

Flamengo was coming off a significant strain after the Copa Libertadores final. After all, the decision against Palmeiras was played on Saturday. On Sunday, the players returned to Rio de Janeiro to celebrate the fourth championship with the fans.

Filipe Luís, therefore, had only two training sessions, one with the full squad. He chose to repeat the lineup from the Libertadores final and justified the decision. For the coach, the most important thing for Wednesday's match was not to concede goals.

“After the Libertadores final, I asked the players to release all the pressure they had inside them because it's very important for the player to disconnect, even if it worsens the physical part. We had a day of preparation with those who played [the final], I chose to repeat the team, I believe they would be the best for what Ceará presented to us,” he explained.

“The team was very patient. We knew we had 90 minutes to score, and the important thing was not to concede a goal. We didn't let them have counterattacks. Today, we chose to be more conservative and try to take the lead because we knew our defensive part is very solid to hold the result. Maybe it wasn't the best game for creating chances, maybe due to the players' fatigue, but it was a very solid game,” he concluded.

Flamengo's schedule doesn't stop, and now the Carioca Rubro-Negro will travel to Qatar for the Intercontinental Cup. The match is scheduled for this Wednesday at 2 PM (Brasília time).

“We think game by game, I already have the analyst studying Cruz Azul. I already know how they play. And tomorrow… not tomorrow, I want to rest [laughs]. Starting the day after tomorrow, we will begin studying Cruz Azul. We go game by game,” concluded Filipe Luís.

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