Saúl laments Arrascaeta’s absence and reinforces the lack of an ideal replacement for Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores.
Arrascaeta‘s injury has become a major point of concern for Flamengo, especially with the Copa Libertadores semifinals approaching.
Although the Rubro-Negro squad has several options for the position, midfielder Saúl expressed his view that no player matches the ability of the Uruguayan number 10.
The Spaniard lamented the absence of his friend and wished the club icon a speedy recovery.
Saúl stated:
Arrascaeta is unique; there is no other player like him. You can put in Carrascal, Lino, Paquetá, De La Cruz, or Plata. There are many players who can play there, but not like him. He is unique; he worked very hard to become the legend he is today.
The number 8 added:
I have a friendship with him because of the language; we spend time together. He is a different kind of player, a major loss for us. I hope he has a speedy recovery, and we will stay close to him so he stays well. I hope he returns sooner than expected.
The injury and recovery timeline
Arrascaeta suffered a fracture in his left wrist during a friendly match for Uruguay against South Korea.
After undergoing surgery this Thursday (01), he is not expected to return until November.
Consequently, he will miss Flamengo‘s matches against Estudiantes (ARG) in the Libertadores semifinals, scheduled for October 15 and 22.
A peculiar moment on social media
In an interview at Ninho do Urubu, Saúl was also asked about the music he has been posting on his Instagram profile, much of it being funk music.
The player, who is teased by his teammates because of it, indicated that he intends to reduce the frequency to focus on the remainder of the season.
Saúl confessed:
Usually, people think I am searching for the song. But it usually just appears to me, or someone sends it to me. I think it is good; it is a way to communicate with the person who sends it to me. I think I can only do it for one more week, while there are no games. After that, I will stop. I know the players might block me (laughs). I like pagode more; I think funk is a bit too much for me.
The fight for minutes and personal overcoming
Despite starting and receiving praise in the last round of the Brazilian Serie A against Bragantino, Saúl‘s season has been marked by challenges.
After surgery late last year, the Spaniard only returned to the pitch in April of this year.
With few minutes played, the player seeks to be a useful piece for the team in this final stretch.
Saúl opened up:
It has been a complicated year for me. When a player is out for months, with surgery… They talked about two or three months, but it took me a long time to return to playing without pain. It is very difficult mentally and physically, because you want to help your teammates, but you can’t. You can’t train, you can’t play.
The player concluded:
I did specific training in Portugal during the preseason, and I kept improving mentally as I trained more. There is also the issue that the squad is so good, it is hard to get in. The team wins every game, it is hard to rotate players. But we want to play. The most important thing is Flamengo, the team.
Flamengo’s upcoming schedule
With Saúl available, Flamengo prepares to resume their match schedule.
On October 8, the team led by Tite visits Santos at Vila Belmiro.
Subsequently, Mais Querido faces Fluminense, with both matches being part of the Campeonato Brasileiro.
Next, on the 15th, the delegation travels to La Plata for the first leg against Estudiantes in the Libertadores.
