“Saúl as 5th choice, Palmeiras no match for Flamengo”: journalist | OneFootball

Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil and Libertadores could all go to Flamengo, according to a Band journalist

The reigning champions of the Brasileirão and the Libertadores, Flamengo have one of the strongest squads in the world outside Europe. For Band journalist Elia Júnior, the fact that Mengão has a player of Saúl Ñíguez’s level as a ‘backup to the backup’ shows just how powerful the Most Beloved is compared to Palmeiras, the main contender for titles alongside the Rubro-Negro. The pundit also does not rule out another magical season at the Gávea club.

— The treble is not absurd at all. You can’t compare Palmeiras to a team that has Saúl as its fifth option. The league (Brasileirão) will be balanced, but in the end Flamengo will come out as champions — Elia said on Band’s Tempo Técnico.

Can Flamengo win the treble?

The ideal treble consists of the Copa do Brasil, the Brasileirão and the Libertadores in the same year. In Brazil, however, no team has managed to win all three trophies in a single season. Still, Fla did manage to combine the state championship, national league and continental tournament in 2019 and 2025.

Currently, the Most Beloved sit second in the Brasileirão, just behind Palmeiras, who hold a six-point lead. In addition, Mengão top Group A of the Libertadores and face Vitória in the fifth round of the Copa do Brasil.

And is Saúl really a backup at Flamengo?

Despite Elia Júnior’s statement, Saúl is still gradually returning from surgery. The midfielder’s first match of the year, for example, came on Sunday (19). Therefore, it is still not possible to say for sure that the Spaniard is necessarily a substitute in Leonardo Jardim’s plans.

What time is Flamengo vs Vitória?

With the dream of winning the treble, the first match between Flamengo and Vitória takes place this Wednesday (22), in the first leg of the fifth round of the Copa do Brasil. In addition, kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã.

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