Léo Pereira admits fear of repeat of 2023 after early runners-up finishes | OneFootball

Fresh from lifting the Carioca on Sunday, Léo Pereira admitted he had feared Flamengo’s stuttering start in 2026 might become a repeat of 2023. The centre-back said the early setbacks had alarmed the squad.

According to Coluna Do Fla, he reflected that 2023 had been among his worst years at the club and that nothing is won in advance. He noted Flamengo had already lost two finals they had pinned hopes on, called it a fine-margins final against strong opposition, and said the title brings calm for the new coach to begin his cycle.

With Vitor Pereira and Sampaoli, Flamengo contested every competition in 2023 but ended without silverware. They finished third at the Club World Cup, and were runners-up in the Recopa Sul-Americana, the Supercopa do Brasil and the Carioca early in the year. They later exited the Libertadores in the last 16 to Olimpia, 3-2 on aggregate, ended the Brasileirão fourth and lost the Copa do Brasil final to São Paulo, 2-1.

This year echoed that start, with Flamengo losing the Supercopa do Brasil to Corinthians and the Recopa Sul-Americana to Lanús. Sunday’s state title broke that sequence of disappointments.

Attention now shifts to the Brasileirão, with Leonardo Jardim’s side hosting Cruzeiro at the Maracanã on Wednesday 11 at 21:30 Brasília time.

Source: Coluna Do Fla