Flamengo fire Pereira before he becomes coach of regular season Serie A game

April 12 - Flamengo have sacked Portugal manager Vitor Pereira after a string of disappointing results ahead of the domestic league kick off at the weekend.

Pereira had only been in office since January 1. A statement from Flamengo read: "The Club de Regatas do Flamengo announces that coach Vitor Pereira and his coaching staff are no longer in charge of the senior team. The board thanks the coach and wishes him well. luck in the rest of his career."

The dismissal followed a series of painful but decisive defeats. Crosstown rivals Fluminense destroyed Flamengo 4-1 at the Maracana on Sunday to win the Carioca Championship and become the first club to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit in the final. Flamengo was punished and outclassed in every department on the pitch. Marcelo demonstrated why he excelled at Real Madrid for so many years, while Argentine Germán Cano couldn't help scoring goals. The score almost flattered Flamengo.

Before half-time, the Rubro-Negro fans chanted "My Flamengo doesn't need you", aiming at Pereira.

This defeat turned out to be one too many for the management of Flamengo. It was the fifth title Flamengo failed to win under Pereira in the closing stages of the competition. They finished second in the Rio State Championship, the Brazilian Super Cup, the South American Super Cup and ceded the Taça Guanabara to Fluminense. The Club World Cup was another big disappointment. In Morocco, Flamengo crashed in the semi-finals against Saudi Al Hilal.

Before the Fluminense loss, Flamengo and Pereira also lost to Aucas in the first game of the new Copa Libertadores campaign, fielding a second-tier side.

Pereira succeeded Dorival Junior, who won the title and the Brazilian Cup in 2022 with Flamengo. Jorge Jesus and Jorge Sampaoli are the favorites to replace Pereira. In 2019, Jesus orchestrated a victory parade in Rio de Janeiro where he led Flamengo to the Brazilian title as well as the South American title. He is under contract with Fenerbahce in Türkiye. Sampaoli is a free agent.

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