The family refuge behind De La Cruz’s Flamengo storm | OneFootball

Nicolás De La Cruz spent a restorative weekend surrounded by family and tradition in Uruguay as Flamengo navigated internal turbulence sparked by controversial medical comments, according to UOL.

The midfielder, absent while Flamengo secured a win against Atlético MG and reclaimed their position atop the league, shared a photo with his older brother, Carlos Sánchez, enjoying an Uruguayan barbecue—captioned simply, “Everything that does me good.” This visit home followed a difficult week for De La Cruz, who was deeply affected by leaked messages from club doctor José Luiz Runco. Runco, who has since been dismissed, claimed in a WhatsApp group that De La Cruz suffered from a “chronic, irreparable” condition and should not have been cleared for competitive football. The message’s leak unsettled the squad and led directly to Runco’s removal, an outcome the club's directors regarded as unavoidable.

Still recovering physically since before the last Club World Cup, De La Cruz was granted a short break in Uruguay both to recover his composure and to continue his rehabilitation. His management team criticized Runco's behavior as unethical. During this time, the midfielder found support from Carlos Sánchez, a former Uruguay international and ex-Santos player, who wrote online, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Together against everything. Today and always.” Carlos, 12 years De La Cruz’s senior, has long been a touchstone and source of stability.

Flamengo’s locker room has rallied around their teammate. Full-back Matías Viña, who plays with De La Cruz for both club and the Uruguayan national team, outlined the squad’s response: “We’re with him, making sure he’s well mentally. It wasn’t good news, but it’s over now. We’re staying close, and while he’s with his family, we remain together.” Defender Léo Ortiz, who scored the decisive goal against Atlético MG, added, “It was a complicated situation for everyone. When you hear something like that about a teammate, you don’t feel good. All we can do is support him as much as possible. He had time with his family and friends, which is fair. It’s not easy to hear that from a professional close to you. We hope he returns motivated to rejoin the group.”

Interim coach Filipe Luís also acknowledged De La Cruz's sacrifices, explaining the midfielder exacerbated a recent knee injury by playing through a squad crisis. “It was a delicate moment. We had injuries and suspensions, so I spoke with him—he was at his limit, but he played for the team and got injured. A player like that will always have my protection. I’m counting the days for his return because he’s very important for us,” said the coach.

De La Cruz is scheduled to return to Brazil this week to resume his medical and fitness work under the care of the club’s dedicated staff. The Flamengo squad, united in its public support, is intent on shielding the players from external noise as they continue their campaign at the top of the league.

(Source: UOL)