Sheer grit: Flamengo player played Libertadores final carrying an injury | OneFootball

The revelation was made on the afternoon of this Monday (12) by Flamengo's medical department

Hero of the fourth Libertadores title, Danilo almost missed the final against Palmeiras. In a press conference held this Monday (12), Flamengo's medical department revealed that Danilo played in Lima 'with sheer determination.'

— Against Palmeiras, in the game where he replaced Ortiz (in the Brasileirão), (Danilo) had a moment where he jumped, fell, and suffered a knee trauma. We did an MRI at the time, and there were signs of synovitis, bone edema, alteration in the posterior cruciate ligament, and a lot of pain. He started intense treatment at the club, local treatment, to play two days later against Racing (ARG). He managed to recover, but since that day, he had been experiencing knee pain, being constantly treated and enduring the pain. We must greatly appreciate the effort he made. I don't know if some athletes would endure what he did. He endured pain from October to the World Cup final and was rewarded with the title goal (of the Libertadores) —, said the head of the club's medical department, Fernando Sassaki.

— His injury allowed for conservative treatment, I said that if he felt the pain hadn't improved, we would reassess with a new image and plan the treatment. He came earlier, during the holidays, we repeated the MRI, the edema pattern improved, the fibers of the posterior cruciate ligament lost the inflammatory pattern, but there were still signs of strain. There is no sign of instability, which is important, but there is still pain. Not as before, but we take it into account. We made a specific plan and I won't give a return date, but to bring him back in the best possible way —, added Sassaki.

IS DANILO'S CASE SURGICAL?

Due to the problem, it is unlikely that Danilo will take the field this January. Flamengo is racing against time to have the defender available on February 1st, against Corinthians, for the Supercopa do Brasil. Thus, when asked if the defender will need surgery, Sassaki explained.

— Every time an athlete has pain, injuries, we always weigh the cost-benefit. We discuss with the athlete, trainer, other doctors, coach, director, president, and make decisions. The final decision is always the athlete's. What he needs to know is the truth, what the risks are, and what can happen. We guide, the final decision is his. If there is a small injury and he plays, it can worsen. If there is a strain and he pushes, it becomes more fragile and there is always a risk of worsening. Danilo was not afraid, his effort must be greatly valued —, he concluded.

HOW WAS DANILO'S GOAL?

In summary, even with pain, Danilo rose to the 'third floor' and scored the goal for the fourth Libertadores title at 21 minutes into the second half against Palmeiras. Thus, the match on November 29, 2025, placed the athlete in the gallery of 'immortal rubro-negros.' Now, the number 13 fights to continue making history at his beloved club.

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