Flamengo Restores First Team and Filipe Luís for Vasco Classic After Youth Gamble Falters

Overview

• In an official decision after a Tuesday meeting with president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, director José Boto and coach Filipe Luís, Flamengo will field its professional squad with Filipe on the touchline against Vasco on Jan. 21 at the Maracanã.
• The under‑20 side collected only one point in three games, including a 3–0 defeat to Volta Redonda, leaving the club bottom of Group B and last in the overall table.
• UFMG’s model puts Flamengo’s chance of reaching the Carioca quarterfinals at 22.5%, the second lowest among the 12 teams.
• By regulation, the bottom two in each group enter a home‑and‑away relegation quadrangular, and only the last‑placed team in that mini‑league is demoted to Série A2.
• A quadrangular berth would add six fixtures that clash with dates in the Brasileiro and the Recopa, while the first team debuts after only about a week of training before the league opener on Jan. 28 and the Supercopa on Feb. 1.