Olympiacos v Pafos: David Luiz hails Flamengo, emotional for Rodinei | OneFootball

Rodinei and David Luiz faced each other this Wednesday (17) in the Champions League

Champions of the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores in 2022 with Flamengo, Rodinei and David Luiz reunited this Wednesday (17). In the first round of the Champions League, Olympiacos (GRE), the team of the full-back, drew 0-0 with Pafos (CHP), the team of the defender. After the match, David mentioned Mengão while celebrating the reunion.

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“Life surprises us like movie scripts. A few years ago, at Flamengo, we talked about the path to playing in a Champions League. And today, the guy up there prepared this more than special meeting. Seeing him playing from inside the field. I love you, Rodinei. May God continue to bless your life and your entire family, my friend,” wrote David Luiz.

On the field, only David Luiz had reasons to celebrate, despite leaving the field injured at 34 minutes of the first half. After all, before that, at 25’, Pafos lost full-back Bruno, who was sent off. Even with the pressure from Rodinei's team, playing at home, the match ended 0-0.

WHAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RODINEI AND DAVID LUIZ?

David Luiz played a fundamental role in Rodinei's recovery at Flamengo. The defender joined the Rubro-Negro in 2021, and at the time, ‘Rodi’ was the third choice for the full-back position, behind Isla and Matheuzinho.

Acting as a mentor to Rodinei, David Luiz managed to motivate the full-back, who was one of Brazil's standouts in 2022, scoring a title-winning goal in the Copa do Brasil and participating in the decisive goal that secured the Libertadores. The public exchange of compliments between the athletes became routine.

— Man, David is a brother, a father, because the greatness this guy has is surreal. For me, many people should be like David Luiz and have his humility. He won the Champions League, he won everything in Europe. He didn't need to take his time to help me in 2022 —, said Rodinei, in 2024.

— Rodi is a friend, a person I could understand and see who Rodinei was, not just the player but the person. When I arrived at Flamengo, I saw a guy with incredible potential who was an orphan of everything, not just football support, but how to conduct his life itself. You all know that we, as mature adults, could see in him a full joy and a completely pure person. The only thing I told him was: Rodi, with the potential you have, you can live things you can't even imagine —, said David Luiz, also last year.

WILL FLAMENGO REPEAT 2022?

If David Luiz and Rodinei won two major titles in the second half of 2022, Flamengo in 2025 is trying to repeat the feat. After all, the leader of the Brasileirão takes the field this Thursday (18) for the quarterfinals of the Libertadores.

Thus, the ball rolls from 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at Maracanã for the first leg. The match will be broadcast by ESPN on cable television and Disney Plus on streaming. However, the best and most Flamengo-centric coverage will be from Coluna do Fla.

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