Bruno Henrique relishes River Plate reunion with Flamengo: “Good memories” | OneFootball

Bruno Henrique played a decisive role in Flamengo’s 2019 Libertadores title against River Plate (ARG)

Flamengo continue preparing for the rest of the season in Portugal. While the South American football calendar is on hold because of the 2026 World Cup, the Rubro-Negro squad are playing in the Algarve Trophy, a friendly tournament that serves as preparation for the return of official competitions. The first match will be against River Plate (ARG), an opponent that brings back special memories for Bruno Henrique.

One of the remaining players from the historic 2019 Libertadores triumph, the forward fondly recalled the final played in Lima, when Flamengo beat the Argentine club 2-1 in comeback fashion, with two goals in the closing minutes, and returned to the top of South America after 38 years. Bruno Henrique, in fact, played a decisive part in Mengão’s first goal.

— A great memory from 2019, against a great team, which is River Plate. We know that (now) it’s a friendly, but it’s preparation for both teams. I believe it’s going to be a great game and that we can give our best and come away with the win — said Bruno Henrique in an interview with FlamengoTV.

WHY DOES THE MATCH AGAINST RIVER PLATE HAVE SPECIAL MEANING?

Although the clash in Portugal is a friendly, the meeting naturally brings back memories of the 2019 Libertadores final. After all, that match went down in the history of Flamengo and South American football. On that occasion, Jorge Jesus’ team produced an unlikely comeback in the final minutes, winning one of the most memorable titles in the club’s history.

Bruno Henrique was a key player in that campaign and remains one of the squad’s main leaders. Besides him, only Arrascaeta is still part of the group that lifted the trophy in Lima. That is why the forward knows well the weight a match against River Plate carries for the Rubro-Negro fans.

WHAT WILL FLAMENGO’S SCHEDULE BE IN THE ALGARVE TROPHY?

Flamengo’s first challenge comes next Friday (03), against River Plate. After that, Rubro-Negro face Swiss side Lausanne on July 8. Finally, the team close out their participation in the tournament against Benfica (POR) on 11/07.

Right after the commitments in Portugal, the delegation return to Rio de Janeiro to begin preparations for the resumption of the Brazilian Championship and the Libertadores. The first official match of the second half of the year takes place on the 22nd, against Chapecoense, at Arena Condá, in Chapecó do Sul.

WHO IS AVAILABLE TO LEONARDO JARDIM?

The mid-season training camp also represents an important opportunity for head coach Leonardo Jardim to observe players who have had less space throughout the season, as well as to integrate academy players into the first-team squad. On the other hand, not all players are available in Portugal.

Even after Uruguay’s elimination from the World Cup, Arrascaeta, Varela, and De La Cruz did not go directly to the Rubro-Negro camp. The trio were given a few days off before rejoining the club. Gonzalo Plata and Jorge Carrascal, meanwhile, are still competing in the international tournament. The winger continues representing Ecuador, while the midfielder remains available to Colombia in the competition.

WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S OPINION?

— Flamengo fans need to stay very calm. In the 1-0 win over Bonsucesso last week, some fans complained on social media. So Rubro-Negro supporters need to understand that this game against River has very little value, and the result needs to take a back seat — said Pedro Paulo Catonho, journalist at Coluna do Fla.

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