One of the most respected names in Brazilian football, Zé Roberto, Palmeiras idol and former Flamengo player, analyzed the two Libertadores finalists during participation in the Sports Summit 2025this Friday (31), second day of the event in São Paulo.
With the authority of someone who wore both shirts, the former midfielder praised the teams’ balance, but spared no praise for the red-and-black star De Arrascaeta, whom he classified as “the best player in Brazilian football”.
— Flamengo’s strong point is that it brought important players. I really like possession of the ball and the coolness that Flamengo has, Jorginho, a player who has a lot of experience, added a lot to the team this season. Saúl, no comments needed, very good player. Arrascaeta, for me, is the best player currently in Brazil. O Flamengo has a good team, a team that controls the game and counterattacks with a lot of speed — highlighted Zé Roberto.
The former player also praised the work of coach Filipe Luís, who took charge of Flamengo this season and, according to him, has managed to get the most out of the squad:
— He’s a young coach, but he knows the players because he played alongside them. So, Flamengo has everything, everything I mentioned makes Flamengo a strong team — he added.
Palmeiras’ strengths
When commenting on Palmeiras, Zé Roberto highlighted coach Abel Ferreira’s role as group manager and praised the way the Portuguese coach has dealt with the squad. The former player cited the example of Raphael Veiga, who had not been playing well after injuries, returned and scored two goals in the historic upset over LDU in the semifinals.
— Abel is more than a coach, he is a people manager. He has this feeling of using the right player at the right time. Veiga didn’t play for a while, but Abel knew how to put him in moments when the team needed to mix it up. That makes a lot of difference. He knew how to use the fit tactic to the team’s advantage, so he makes changes at the right time and the effect of the result emerges because of these details — said Zé Roberto.
For the former midfielder, both Flamengo and Palmeiras they reach the final with solid squads that are well prepared to fight for the continental title.
— The two clubs are currently ahead of the competition because they have squads. And whoever has a squad, arrives strong at the end of the season — he concluded.
Sports Summit: schedule
The 2025 edition will be held at the WTC Events Center, in the south of São Paulo, and will feature the The Sporting News as one of the partners.
This year’s program includes activities parallel to the fair, such as poker matches promoted by H2 Clube with the participation of guests from sports and entertainment, as well as an octagon set up on the Market Floor for jiu-jitsu and martial arts fights in partnership with Mundo Combate.
On November 1st, a charity auction is also planned with works and experiences linked to the sporting universe, with proceeds going to a partner institute that works with social inclusion through sport.
