Manager Leonardo Jardim has admitted to a dip in Jorginho‘s performance and explained the factors preventing Flamengo from playing its best football in the Brazilian Serie A.
The 1-1 draw against Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium this Wednesday (29) highlighted the difficulties Flamengo is facing in regaining its top form this season. After the match, manager Leonardo Jardim addressed the unstable moment experienced by Jorginho, who put in a sub-par performance marked by uncharacteristic passing errors.
Despite the critique, the Flamengo boss noted that a lack of immediate options limits rotation in the midfield. According to Jardim, the expectation is that with the full return of players like De La Cruz and the definitive integration of Paquetá, the squad will gain the quality depth needed to maintain the competitiveness expected by the club.
The impact of the mid-season break
The manager pointed to a “disconnect” in the squad’s preparation as the primary reason for the drop in performance. With several players absent during the mid-season break, the group only recently returned to training as a whole.
“We had ten players out. Then, we had one group training for over 30 days and another that was away, working with other coaches and different ideas, only arriving now. We still haven’t been able to adjust the team due to a lack of time,” explained Jardim during the press conference, as reported by the M360 team.
Projections and upcoming challenges
Now, Flamengo seeks to take advantage of the gap in the schedule to adjust the tactical scheme and recover the offensive “DNA” the team displayed before the World Cup break. The focus is entirely on fine-tuning the team ahead of a decisive sequence that includes the Libertadores.
The next match for the Mais Querido is only on August 9. Rubro-Negro faces Vitória at the Maracanã for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. A win is considered a must to narrow the eight-point gap to league leaders Palmeiras and keep the dream of a tenth national title alive.
