Saúl starts ‘countdown’ to return for Flamengo | OneFootball

The month is only just beginning, but it will be decisive for Saúl’s return to the pitch

Coach Leonardo Jardim received good news regarding the remainder of the season after the FIFA international break. That is because Saúl Ñíguez took another step in his recovery from heel surgery and is close to being cleared for physical conditioning.

At the moment, Saúl is in the final stage of physiotherapy. As a result, the player will be handed over to Flamengo’s fitness staff in April. Depending on his progress at this stage, the Spaniard could be cleared by the second week of this month to train with the squad.

Although he is not expected to return immediately after the FIFA international break, Saúl could be available to Leonardo Jardim for the Copa Libertadores. It is worth remembering that Flamengo’s first match in the South American competition will take place on April 8, against Cusco (PER).

However, Flamengo will still have two more matches in the Libertadores this month. The second match in the tournament will be against Independiente Medellín of Colombia on the 16th. Finally, on the 29th, the Rubro-Negro side faces Estudiantes (ARG). In this way, Saúl could return in one of the continental competition matches.

Why did Saúl undergo surgery?

Saúl began dealing with heel pain toward the end of the 2025 season. However, the midfielder chose conservative treatment in order to play in the decisive matches of the Libertadores and the Brasileirão.

However, at the end of the season, Saúl spoke with Flamengo’s Medical Department and, together, they decided to carry out surgery on the Spaniard’s heel. The player therefore underwent the procedure in Spain at the beginning of January.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

Still without Saúl, Flamengo face Red Bull Bragantino this Thursday (02) in a match valid for the ninth round of the Brasileirão. The teams kick off at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Estádio Municipal Cicero De Souza Marques in São Paulo.

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