Flamengo wrapped up the Brazilian Serie A title with a scruffy 1-0 win over Ceara at the Maracana, just four days after lifting the Copa Libertadores, as the Rio club suddenly looks like it can’t stop winning trophies.
Samuel Lino, the club’s record signing, nicked the only goal of a fairly cagey game, and that has put Flamengo five points clear of Palmeiras with just one match left, so the maths is basically done. The ninth national crown for Brazil’s biggest club, and the third in the last seven seasons, which is starting to feel a bit like a habit.
The whole thing comes off the back of that tight Libertadores final in Lima at the weekend, where Flamengo squeezed past Palmeiras 1-0 again, thanks to another nervy performance that did just enough rather than blew the doors off. They’re now only the fifth Brazilian side to land the domestic title and South America’s biggest trophy in the same season, having already done it themselves in 2019.
Boss Filipe Luis didn’t try to pretend it’s business as usual. “In a few years the players will realise what they has achieved,” he said, sounding a bit emotional. “They are eternal.” Not far off from the truth given the history books. Pele’s Santos did the double twice in the 60s and Botafogo pulled it off last year, so Flamengo are in tidy company there.
Elsewhere, Neymar decided to grab a bit of attention for Santos, smashing a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Juventude to drag his old club out of the relegation mess. Santos are now two points clear of the bottom four, but they still has to play third placed Cruzeiro, who could yet nick second spot off Palmeiras, so expect more drama.
As for Flamengo, the season isn’t over by a long shot. They’re now chasing a possible treble in the Intercontinental Cup in Qatar, which sounds glamorous enough. They face Mexican side Cruz Azul next week, and if they get through that, they’ll meet Egypt’s Pyramids for a place in a final that could end up against European champions Paris Saint Germain on 17 December in Doha.
Big stage, big names, and a club that currently looks like it’s flying on fumes and adrenaline. A treble would be outrageous, but at this rate, you wouldn’t put it past them.
