Joaquín Freitas reveals a lack of contact with Colidio ahead of the derby and looks ahead to a new phase at Flamengo under head coach Leonardo Jardim.
The mid-year transfer market shook up South American football with the arrival of young prospects in Rio de Janeiro. Among the highlights, forward Joaquín Freitas arrived at Flamengo after leaving River Plate, following a path similar to compatriot Colidio, who chose to play for arch-rivals Vasco.
Even with their recent past wearing the same shirt in Argentina, the duo has not yet had time to reconnect on Brazilian soil. However, that scenario is about to change with the proximity of direct matchups in the Brazilian Serie A, raising expectations for the traditional local derbies.
Expectation for Rio de Janeiro derbies
Adapting to Brazilian football has been marked by new experiences for Joaquín Freitas. The player pointed out that the atmosphere of matches against local rivals is one of the things that most sparks his curiosity at the start of his journey with the Mais Querido.
Regarding his relationship with his former club teammate, the player was straightforward in a recent interview:
I haven’t had many opportunities to speak with Colidio since we arrived in Brazil, but I already know that the rivalry is very strong with Vasco and Fluminense. Because of that, I have high expectations to experience this derby environment, and to see how the fans and the atmosphere behave during these matches.
Direct clash on the horizon
Although contact off the pitch has decreased since leaving River Plate, the compatriots will cross sporting paths soon. The Brazilian Serie A schedule sets the first meeting between Flamengo and Vasco for October 29, in a duel that promises to liven up the season.
While the derby date doesn’t arrive, the coaching staff led by Leonardo Jardim is using the training period to further integrate the new signing. Since his official debut against Remo, the forward has been earning an important spot in the Rubro-Negro squad.
Decisive impact and next steps
Joaquín Freitas‘s impact on the Rubro-Negro began to take shape practically against Corinthians at the Maracanã. Coming off the bench, the Argentine showed great vision by setting up Bruno Henrique in the play that secured the victory for Flamengo.
With the player fully available, the Rio de Janeiro side now focuses on their next official commitment in the national tournament. The challenge will be against Santos, scheduled for next Thursday (8) at 7:30 PM (Brasília time) at the Vila Belmiro stadium.
Equipe M360
