Former player Felipe Melo offers high praise to Flamengo following their victory over Botafogo, highlighting the club’s display as the “most beautiful football on the continent” and comparing one of their goals to plays seen at Real Madrid.
Flamengo‘s recent 3-0 rout of Botafogo in last Sunday’s (30) Brazilian Serie A clash not only reignited the race for the top of the table but also drew enthusiastic reactions from across the sports world.
One of the most noteworthy comments came from veteran Felipe Melo, who previously played for clubs like Palmeiras and Fluminense and did not hold back in praising the performance of the Rubro-Negro.
During an analysis on the program ‘Fechamento sportv’, Melo elevated the standard of football played by Flamengo, going so far as to classify it as the most beautiful on the continent.
The overwhelming performance, which secured the win in the Rio derby, impressed the former athlete to the point that he drew a parallel between the buildup to the third goal and the style of play used by European giants like Real Madrid.
Felipe Melo’s Sharp Analysis
Flamengo‘s superiority over Botafogo was one of the highlights of the round, and Felipe Melo‘s evaluation underscored that sense of dominance.
The former player emphasized the Rubro-Negro‘s authority even during the opponent’s better stretches, suggesting the victory could have been even more lopsided had the team “accelerated” from the very start.
It is the most beautiful football in Brazil, perhaps even in the continent. They absolutely crushed Botafogo. Even during Botafogo‘s good moments, Flamengo managed to kill off the game. If Flamengo had pushed harder, they could have finished it in the first half.
The Play That Captivated Europe
The sequence that caught Felipe Melo‘s attention most was the orchestration of Flamengo‘s third goal.
A rapid sequence of passes, initiated by Rossi on a counterattack, involving Carrascal, Samuel Lino, and a backheel touch from Cebolinha before Carrascal‘s precise finish, resulted in a tactical masterpiece.
That is the kind of play you see in Europe. Flamengo executed a move you see Liverpool or Real Madrid doing… I’m not comparing the teams, I’m talking about the play itself.
This comparison highlights the technical quality and the speed of decision-making that characterized the goal, echoing the high-level standards seen in European football.
Rubro-Negro Dominance on the Pitch
The 3-0 victory was built on consistency from the opening minutes. The first goal, scored by Samuel Lino following an assist from Jorginho, paved the way for the result.
In the second half, Flamengo maintained their intensity, with Samuel Lino scoring again and Carrascal finding the back of the net to seal the rout and the performance that drew such praise.
With these three points, Flamengo reached 48 points in the Brazilian Serie A, closing the gap on leaders Palmeiras and intensifying the title race.
The dominant performance and the praise from a figure like Felipe Melo boost the team’s morale as they now turn their attention to the Libertadores quarterfinals, where they aim to maintain their high level of play and advance in the continental competition.
