Filipe Luís backs Lucas Paquetá after midfielder’s first start | OneFootball

Flamengo drew 1-1 with Internacional at Maracanã, with Lucas Paquetá on the field

Flamengo reached its fourth consecutive game without a win this season. On Wednesday (04), the Rubro-Negro drew 1-1 with Internacional in the second round of the Brasileirão. After the match, coach Filipe Luís held a press conference and spoke about Lucas Paquetá, who played his first game as a starter and praised the midfielder highly.

— He can play in all attacking positions, fits well in this role, has a lot of presence in the area, depth. He can score. Today he had two chances to score, connects very well with the full-back, plays across all areas of the field, does the back-and-forth, a position that demands a lot. But that doesn't mean he'll only play there —, said Filipe Luís.

— He can play in other positions. But the most important thing is that he is a decisive, different player. We see the quality he has even when not in the best physical shape. He is a player who makes a difference —, added the coach.

Despite Filipe Luís's praises, Lucas Paquetá was involved in Internacional's goal. At 48 minutes of the first half, the midfielder made a passing error in midfield, the visiting team launched a counterattack, and Borré opened the scoring. In the second half, Arrascaeta equalized.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR FLAMENGO?

The situation for Flamengo this season is critical. After all, the team hasn't won in four games. Besides the draw with Internacional, the team lost to Fluminense (Carioca), São Paulo (Brasileirão), and Corinthians (Supercopa). Therefore, in this Wednesday's (04) match, the fans lost patience and booed the team at Maracanã.

WHEN IS FLAMENGO'S NEXT GAME?

Next Saturday (07), Flamengo will have the chance to recover this season against Sampaio Corrêa, again at Maracanã. The match will kick off at 9 PM (Brasília time), for the last round of the Campeonato Carioca 2026 classification phase. The Rubro-Negro will try to advance to the quarterfinals but depends on other teams' setbacks.

In the Brasileirão, the team returns to the field next Tuesday (10), against Vitória, in Salvador. The match has become a 'must-win' for the Most Beloved, as the team has only one point in two rounds of the competition. In other words, a victory is crucial for the team to enter the fight for the tenth championship.

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