Barcelona boss praises Flamengo before U20 final: "Glorious history" | OneFootball

Flamengo Seeks Second Consecutive U-20 Club World Cup Title

The "Crias do Ninho" continue their preparation to face Barcelona (ESP) this Saturday (23) in the final of the U-20 Club World Cup. The Spanish team's coach, Juliano Belletti, celebrated his return to the Maracanã. Additionally, the commander praised Flamengo and the red-black fans.

— To be back at the Maracanã, now as a coach, a few years ago I thought this possibility was very difficult. And now, coming to represent and defend Barça, the team I played for, won titles, against a Flamengo that also has a great history in sports, with an impressive fan base. Everything is coming together for this experience to be lived at maximum intensity -, he said, before concluding:

— It's the first official game in Barcelona's 125 years here in Brazil. And it's going to be at the Maracanã. So, more than anything, it's about representing the institution well, respecting Flamengo a lot, because winning a Libertadores title isn't easy, they're the current champions of the competition. But also bringing what everyone knows we want to see, which is the club's DNA -, concluded Belletti, in an interview with 'Lance!'.

Will Flamengo Have Reinforcements for the Final?

In pursuit of the U-20 World Cup title, Flamengo will have some 'homegrown' reinforcements for the game against Barcelona. This is because João Victor, Matheus Gonçalves, Daniel Sales, and Lorran will be available to coach Bruno Pivetti. The youngsters were released from the professional team's training and are preparing with the U-20 squad.

Is Flamengo the Current U-20 World Cup Champion?

Yes! Flamengo is the current U-20 Club World Cup champion. This is because the team won the title in the 2024 season by defeating Olympiacos (GRE) 2-1 at the Maracanã. Therefore, Flamengo can become a two-time champion this Saturday (23), again in front of their fans.

When is the Game Between Flamengo and Barcelona?

The game between Flamengo and Barcelona kicks off this Saturday (23) at 16h30 (Brasília time) at the Maracanã, in the U-20 World Cup final. As per tradition, Coluna do Fla will provide the best coverage on the internet through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, Globo (open channel) and SporTV (closed TV) will also broadcast the match.

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