Royal's honesty on Flamengo's display against Del Valle at the Maracanã

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Coluna do Fla

·18 September 2026

Royal's honesty on Flamengo's display against Del Valle at the Maracanã

What did Emerson Royal say after Flamengo qualified for the Libertadores semifinal?

Flamengo did not deliver their best performance against Independiente del Valle (ECU) this Thursday (17), but they still secured a place in the Libertadores semifinal. After the 1-1 draw, Emerson Royal was honest in his assessment of the red-and-black team’s performance at the Maracanã.

– We know the game didn’t go the way we wanted, but it’s worth pointing out that it was a 180-minute tie. We weren’t that good at the Maracanã, but we played a great match there at altitude, which is a difficult environment for us –, he said, before concluding: – Obviously, the condition of the pitch ended up hurting our performance a lot, in terms of the way we play. Our game depends heavily on being close together and passing, and they grew into the match as it went on. To reach the final stages of the tournament, we have to go through moments like these. We handled this qualification well –, Royal concluded.

How did the Flamengo vs. Del Valle Libertadores match go?

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It was not the best night for Flamengo. For most of the match, the Rubro-Negro were unable to repeat the good performances they have shown this season and, because of that, struggled on the field.

Early in the first half, Del Valle put Flamengo under pressure by scoring. As a result, the fans began to grow anxious because of the team’s display on the pitch. However, in the closing stages of the match, even with one player less on the field, Mengão equalized through Arrascaeta.

What is Flamengo’s situation now in the Copa Libertadores?

By securing the 1-1 scoreline, Flamengo came out on top on aggregate (3-1) and advanced to the Libertadores semifinal. In the next round, Mengão will face Estudiantes (ARG), with the first leg away from home and the second at the Maracanã.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

Before turning their attention to the Libertadores, Flamengo have an important Brasileirão fixture. With Emerson Royal available, the Rubro-Negro will face Red Bull Bragantino at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) this Sunday (20), at the Maracanã.

With that in mind, Coluna do Fla TV, as usual, will bring all the details of the match with on-site coverage from Rodrigo Lima and Rock Hudson on YouTube, as well as on the website and social media. Finally, SporTV (subscription channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the match.

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