Flamengo skids for the second time after the World Cup and will have 10 days to 'start over'

The assessment that performance is below is practically general. Players and coach Leonardo Jardim had similar speeches after the draw with Internacional. It's time to "start over".

"It's not about the result or the points, it's about the team, the way to play. We're not in the best moment, we have to work. We'll have 15 days [in fact, there are 10] to close the doors, start again and work", said Varela, to Prime Video.

"We have to improve a lot to compete, to be Brazilian champions. We're going to work to improve. We have to prioritize everything, it's an important phase of the season. Flamengo's shirt doesn't allow even half a slow time", Danilo further stated to FlaTV.

Flamengo will have a period just for training starting today. The team will not play in the round of 16 matches of the Copa do Brasil due to having been eliminated by Vitória in the previous phase and will only play again in the Brasileirão on August 9th.

The training period has a difference to that used during the World Cup break: the squad is practically complete. During the World Cup, Flamengo was the Brazilian team with the most absences due to call-ups. "After the return of these players, we still haven't been able to adjust the team, we didn't have time to train. It was 10 days with three games. Therefore, we have to make the most of this period we will have now to adjust the group in its entirety again, so that the actions are better interpreted and the quality of the game returns to the level we presented in the first phase", said Jardim, in a press conference.

The mission in the Brasileirão has become difficult. Despite having one game less than Palmeiras, Flamengo saw their rival open an eight-point lead at the top. In other words, even if they win the duel to be played, the Rio team will reduce the distance to, at most, five points.

Flamengo won't just have the Brasileirão ahead of them. In August, the Rio team will face Cruzeiro in the round of 16 of the Libertadores. The first will be played in Minas Gerais, on the 12th. The return will be a week later, in Rio de Janeiro.