Léo Pereira recalls tough start at Flamengo, thanks fans’ ‘pressure’

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Coluna do Fla

·1 Mei 2026

Léo Pereira recalls tough start at Flamengo, thanks fans’ ‘pressure’

Léo Pereira’s spell at Flamengo has been marked by highs and lows

Flamengo paid tribute this Friday (01) to Léo Pereira, who reached 300 matches for Mengão. In a press conference at Ninho do Urubu, the red-and-black defender looked back on his journey at the club and expressed gratitude for every moment.

I’m very grateful for everything the club has given me—the fans, my teammates, the staff, the board, in short, everyone who added something in some way, even in the bad moments. I think everything was a learning experience, and friendships are definitely important too because, whether we like it or not, this is our second family. It’s where we spend most of our time, so you have to have a really good connection for the work to flow as well. I want to keep making history here at the club and reach 350, maybe even 400 matches. The fans held me accountable when they should have, when I wasn’t doing well, and if I make mistakes again, I know the criticism will come, because football has always been about one game after another. And at Flamengo, you always have to show in every match why you deserve to be here at the club. And the faster I understood that and realized I had to prove myself in every game here, the better things started to go for me. I managed to change my mindset, the results came, the fans’ affection came, and I’m also very grateful for how they welcomed me. I think the beginning of my journey was really bad from the fans’ point of view, and I understand that, because at that moment I wasn’t delivering what was expected. But I managed to show great resilience and, together with my teammates, the club, and my family as well, I was able to turn things around,” said Léo Pereira.

What are Léo Pereira’s numbers at Flamengo?

Flamengo signed Léo Pereira in January 2020 after paying around 7 million euros (R$32 million at the time) to Athletico-PR. The center-back, in fact, had a difficult start at Mengão and was heavily criticized by the red-and-black supporters.

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Then, in the 2022 season, Léo Pereira improved significantly and, since then, has established himself as an undisputed starter for Flamengo. In total, the defender has made 300 appearances, scoring 18 goals and providing six assists. In addition, the No. 4 has won 15 titles with Fla, including two Libertadores titles, two Brazilian league titles, and two Copa do Brasil titles.

Will Léo Pereira be available for Flamengo’s next match?

Léo Pereira missed Flamengo’s 1-1 draw with Estudiantes (ARG) this Wednesday (29) in the Libertadores. That’s because the center-back suffered a cut on his left shin in the 4-0 win over Atlético-MG. Even so, the defender will be available for the derby against Vasco this Sunday (03).

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Léo Pereira available, Flamengo begins preparations for the match against Vasco this Sunday (03). The Rio derby kicks off at 4:00 PM (Brasília time) at the Maracanã, in the 14th round of the Brazilian Championship.

As tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match between Flamengo and Vasco through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, Globo (free-to-air TV), GE TV (YouTube), and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Rio derby.

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