How Cruzeiro loss sped up Arrascaeta move and sparked Flamengo’s trophy era | OneFootball

Arrascaeta faces former club Cruzeiro on Wednesday in a decisive Libertadores last-16 tie. The reunion echoes 2018, when a painful exit helped set Flamengo on a new course. Since 2019, they have lifted 20 trophies, the most in Brazil in that span.

On 29 August 2018, Flamengo won 1-0 at the Mineirão yet went out after a 2-0 first-leg defeat at the Maracanã, Arrascaeta scoring the opener that night. According to Globo.com, the setback marked a shift from financial rebuilding to an assertive, market-leading stance.

In the following window, Arrascaeta moved from long-term monitoring to an essential target. Flamengo paid R$ 81 million, R$ 76 million in rights and signing-on fees and R$ 5 million in intermediation, to secure him.

Further arrivals followed, including Bruno Henrique and Gabigol, and the trophy drought ended. The Libertadores arrived in 2019, with Arrascaeta heavily involved and part of a goal in the final.

Recently, Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique were honoured with busts to be installed at the Gávea headquarters. They will join Zico, Júnior, Leandro, Andrade, Adílio and Olivinha among the honourees.

With 18 titles each, the pair are Flamengo’s most decorated players. Arrascaeta has called it a great honour to be part of the club’s history, adding that he is proud to wear the shirt and represent the nation.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”