Pulgar on Flamengo comeback and Sampaoli’s influence: "I remember a match…" | OneFootball

Flamengo continues without Pulgar for the upcoming games of the season

Flamengo announced the signing of Erick Pulgar in July 2022, and in a short time, the midfielder established himself as a starter for Mengão. The Chilean even recalled the difficult start at Rubro-Negro and the importance of Sampaoli in his pursuit of a spot among the starting eleven.

— I arrived and didn't play much, but my training sessions were high-level. There's nothing more important to me than training well, even without playing. My way of training convinced Sampaoli. I wasn't in his plans — he said, before concluding:

— I remember a game against Racing, in the Libertadores. I had trained as a defender. He comes on game day and says: “How are you to play today?” And I say: “All good. As a defender?” And he says: “No, in the midfield.” And then we got to the meeting, and I was the starting midfielder. He demands 100% from you. So, for me, it helped a lot — concluded Pulgar.

When did Erick Pulgar join Flamengo?

As mentioned earlier, Erick Pulgar joined Flamengo in July 2022, after a stint with Fiorentina (ITA). Mengão spent 2.8 million euros (R$ 14.96 million) to acquire the Chilean.

Since then, Pulgar has played 125 games wearing the Flamengo jersey, scoring three goals and providing nine assists. Additionally, the midfielder has won two Copa do Brasil titles, one Libertadores, one Supercopa do Brasil, and two Carioca championships.

Is Erick Pulgar available for Flamengo?

Currently, Pulgar remains unavailable for Flamengo for the upcoming games of the season. This is because the midfielder is still recovering from a fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot, suffered during the Club World Cup.

What is Flamengo's next game?

Without Erick Pulgar, Flamengo returns to the field this Thursday (25) to face Estudiantes (ARG). The match takes place at 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, for the return leg of the quarter-finals of the Libertadores.

As tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will provide the best internet coverage through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, ESPN (cable channel) and Disney+ (streaming) will broadcast the Flamengo vs. Estudiantes game.

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