Léo Pereira on outside heat before Flamengo v Palmeiras in Brasileirão

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Coluna do Fla

·21 May 2026

Léo Pereira on outside heat before Flamengo v Palmeiras in Brasileirão

Flamengo and Palmeiras face off at the Maracanã

Flamengo has begun preparations to face Palmeiras this Saturday (23), in the 17th round of the Brasileirão. After the 1-0 win over Estudiantes (ARG) in the Libertadores, Léo Pereira commented on the external pressure created before the decisive clash.

— Now it’s time to rest. It’s a team we know well already. We know the atmosphere that is created on the pitch and outside it by you (the press) and the fans. So, we’re going to prepare, we are prepared -, he said, before finishing:

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— We hope to do our best on the pitch, to represent the Flamengo shirt very well, whoever is out there on the field. I usually say that it is a privilege to be on the pitch wearing the Flamengo shirt. I think we’re going to do our best to try to come away with the win and the three points -, concluded Léo Pereira.

Has Abel Ferreira already started putting pressure on the refereeing?

Days before the match, Abel Ferreira had already begun the usual protocol of putting pressure on the refereeing. After Palmeiras lost 1-0 to Cerro Porteño (PER) this Wednesday (20), the Portuguese coach called for “courage” from whoever is appointed to officiate the clash between the leader and the runner-up in the Brasileirão.

They are two great teams, with a very intense rivalry in the battle for titles. Above all, I hope it’s a good game and that the referee chosen has courage as his main characteristic. It is very important that the referee has courage. Maybe I can already guess who it will be; it takes courage to officiate a game like this. May it be a great match and may Palmeiras win, as we always try to do, just as we did today,“ said Abel Ferreira.

What is the Brasileirão situation like?

Palmeiras are currently top of the Brasileirão, with 35 points. Right behind them, Flamengo are in second with 31 points, but with one game in hand. In other words, with a win on Saturday (23), the Rubro-Negro will move to within one point of the São Paulo side.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Léo Pereira available, Flamengo are focused on the Brasileirão. This Saturday (23), Leonardo Jardim’s side face Palmeiras at 9:00 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã, in the 17th round of the league.

So, as tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match between Flamengo and Palmeiras through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, SporTV (subscription channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Brasileirão match.

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