Saúl shines on Libertadores debut, Flamengo fans reward him | OneFootball

Saúl Ñíguez played the full 90 minutes in Flamengo's victory over Internacional on Wednesday (20th)

Wednesday night (20th) ended with an extremely positive result for Flamengo in the Libertadores. In a match valid for the second leg of the round of 16, midfielder Saúl Ñíguez had a standout performance, after ‘dominating’ the midfield and helping the team secure qualification against Internacional. As a result, the number 8 was awarded as the ‘Fan Favorite’.

In a vote conducted through social media, the fans were able to choose which Flamengo player shone the most in Internacional vs Flamengo. With 56.5% of the votes, Saúl reached the position of ‘Fan Favorite’. The second best, according to the fans, was Plata, who provided an assist in the match. The number 45 received 24%. Finally, Arrascaeta registered 17.2% and Jorginho 2.2%.

WHAT MADE SAÚL STAND OUT?

Arrascaeta and Pedro scored the goals in the red-black victory, which secured the qualification to the quarter-finals of the Libertadores, but it was Saúl who took the spotlight. Recently signed, the Spanish midfielder already shows great chemistry with his teammates, demonstrating refined technique, game vision, and tactical awareness. Alongside Jorginho, the number 8 dictated the pace of the match on Wednesday (20th).

The quick adaptation of Saúl has even caught the attention of Filipe Luís, especially due to the harmony the midfielder shows with Jorginho. “This connection happened very naturally, because I observe a lot how these partnerships work,” said the coach.

WHAT IS FLAMENGO'S NEXT MATCH?

With Saúl available and in high spirits after his standout performance, Flamengo turns its attention to the match against Vitória, at Maracanã, valid for the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship. The match is scheduled for 9 PM (Brasília time) on Monday (25th), with broadcast on Premiere, in pay-per-view. However, Coluna do Fla keeps the fans well informed about the match through social media, YouTube, and the website.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.