Leonardo Jardim denies right-back rotation at Flamengo, cites schedule as Varela and Emerson Royal share minutes | OneFootball

Leonardo Jardim has rejected claims of a right-back rotation at Flamengo, saying he is sharing minutes due to a heavy schedule as the club compete in three competitions.

According to Coluna Do Fla, Varela and Emerson Royal have alternated on the right, with Jardim arguing players must be kept fresh amid matches every three days.

He said the policy rewards quality and that the same principle applies across defence, midfield and attack because players cannot feature in every game. He described Varela as exceptional and said he will go to the World Cup, while noting Royal has produced strong performances.

Jardim still has two training sessions to decide who starts against Grêmio, with indications that Varela is likely to be in the XI.

Flamengo face Grêmio at 19:30 Brasília time on Sunday 10 in Porto Alegre, in the 15th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, with coverage on Premiere via pay-per-view.

Source: Coluna Do Fla