Arrascaeta speaks out after criticism in Flamengo v Corinthians | OneFootball

Arrascaeta was one of the most talked-about names after Flamengo’s draw in the Brasileirão

The start of Arrascaeta’s 2026 season has not been what Flamengo fans are used to. After the 1-1 draw with Corinthians, the Uruguayan number 10 received heavy criticism, mainly after not passing the ball to Samuel Lino, who was free inside the box. Shortly after, Evertton Araújo ended up being sent off. The star posted a short outburst on social media.

“My story here is written with loyalty,” wrote Arrascaeta on his Instagram stories, with a photo in front of the Flamengo bus and wearing training gear. The image is from the archives, as the star is with the Uruguayan National Team for the FIFA break this Monday (23).

WHY DID ARRASCAETA RECEIVE SO MUCH CRITICISM?

Six minutes into the second half, Arrascaeta received the ball on the right, marked by two defenders. On the left, Lino was entering the box completely unmarked, with a great chance to score. However, the number 10 chose to hold onto the ball, irritating the striker.

Shortly after, in a contested ball, Evertton Araújo challenged Breno Bidon and the referee unfairly gave him a red card. As a result, Flamengo, who had been better in the match, had to defend to hold onto the 1-1 draw, in a match valid for the eighth round of the Brasileirão.

WHAT DID LEONARDO JARDIM SAY ABOUT ARRASCAETA?

Still during Filipe Luís’s tenure, the former coach acknowledged that Arrascaeta was performing below average. After the match against Corinthians, Leonardo Jardim also had to address the technical moment of Flamengo’s number 10.

— It’s still not the Arrascaeta that we all expect. But we believe that with the work he’s putting in, he will show up. He gets better as the season progresses and that will happen. We are careful not to overload him. We believe in him and so do the fans. The best Arrascaeta will appear — said the coach.

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