Jardim stresses Saúl’s importance to Flamengo, but says: “We need to…”

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Coluna do Fla

·20 April 2026

Jardim stresses Saúl’s importance to Flamengo, but says: “We need to…”

Saúl returned to action for Flamengo in the match against Bahia

Flamengo beat Bahia 2-0 this Sunday (19), in the 12th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match also marked the return of Saúl Ñíguez to the pitch, as the Spaniard had been recovering from heel surgery. Mengão coach Leonardo Jardim celebrated the player’s return, but urged caution in the upcoming matches.

I speak almost every day with nearly all the players. I had several conversations with Saúl this week. He made his son’s situation public — his son had a medical issue — and I supported him so he could support his son, because that was important. He didn’t miss any training sessions, but he did spend time with his son in the hospital. He’s a player who will be eased back in little by little. Everyone knows his quality, but he was out for four months. We need to give him a longer integration period than, for example, Cebolinha and Jorginho. We have to be careful not to push the player too hard. He didn’t have a preseason. He can’t do three training sessions and start playing. I want him to settle in, get back into shape and, in the medium term, also become an important player,” Jardim said in a press conference.

What happened to Saúl Ñíguez?

Saúl began dealing with heel pain toward the end of the 2025 season. However, the midfielder opted for conservative treatment so he could play in the decisive matches of the Libertadores, the Brasileirão and the Club World Cup.

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So, at the end of the season, Saúl spoke with Flamengo’s Medical Department, and both sides decided that heel surgery was the best option. The player therefore underwent the procedure in Spain and soon after began treatment to return to the pitch.

What are Saúl’s numbers at Flamengo?

Saúl joined Flamengo in July 2025 on a free transfer after terminating his contract with Atlético de Madrid (ESP). In total, the midfielder has played 25 matches in the red-and-black shirt, recording two assists. In addition, the Spaniard was part of the title-winning squads in the Brasileirão and the Libertadores.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Saúl available, Flamengo is preparing to make its debut in the Copa do Brasil. This Wednesday (22), Leonardo Jardim’s team faces Vitória at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã in the first leg of the competition’s fifth round.

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, Globo (free-to-air), SporTV (cable) 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.