Léo Ortiz opens up on Flamengo's 2026 aims before Copa do Brasil bow

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Coluna do Fla

·21 de abril de 2026

Léo Ortiz opens up on Flamengo's 2026 aims before Copa do Brasil bow

Did Léo Ortiz pick any competition as a priority?

Flamengo is about to make its debut in the 2026 Copa do Brasil. This Wednesday (22), the Most Beloved faces Vitória at the Maracanã in the first leg of the fifth round. Flamengo center back Léo Ortiz said the board still intends to prioritize certain competitions during the season.

Not only this year, but last year as well. It’s obvious that the coaching staff and the board have some competitions as priorities. They may choose one thing or another depending on the lineup, if they can rest a player who is more worn out. I don’t know if it will happen, but sometimes it does because of their priorities. For us (players), any game wearing the Flamengo shirt is to win, is to qualify. Any competition we enter is to be champions. And we were already champions in 2024, and it’s a very good competition to win wearing the Flamengo shirt. So, we always expect to fight in every competition, and we have the squad for that. Regardless of who is chosen to play on Wednesday, Flamengo’s goal is always to be champion,” said Léo Ortiz after Flamengo’s win over Bahia on Sunday (19).

Did Flamengo prioritize the Copa do Brasil in 2025?

Flamengo won the two competitions it defined as priorities in the 2025 season. In the Brasileirão, the Rubro-Negro finished in first place with 79 points in 38 matches. In the Libertadores, the team coached by Filipe Luís beat Palmeiras 1-0 in the final, with a goal by Danilo.

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The Copa do Brasil, on the other hand, was Flamengo’s third priority that year. As a result, the Rubro-Negro played the national competition with a ‘mixed’ team. After beating Botafogo-PB in the third round, Mengão ended up being eliminated by Atlético-MG in the round of 16 on penalties.

How many Copa do Brasil titles has Flamengo won?

Flamengo has already won five Copa do Brasil titles throughout its history. The Rubro-Negro’s first trophy came in 1990, after beating Goiás in the final. The most recent title came in 2024, with Filipe Luís in charge, against Atlético-MG. Finally, Mengão also lifted the trophy in 2006, 2013 and 2022.

When do Flamengo and Vitória face each other?

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. The ball starts rolling at 9:30 p.m. Brasília time, at the Maracanã. In addition, the second match will take place on May 14 (Thursday), at Barradão.

As tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match between Flamengo and Vitória through YouTube, the website and social media. However, SporTV (cable TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Copa do Brasil match.

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