What Happened in Brazilian Soccer Yesterday (Monday, June 23th 2025)

Atlético-MG

• Atlético-MG is considering renewing the loans of Fábio Gomes, Daniel Penha, and Isaac, whose contracts end on June 30. However, their return to the main squad is unlikely.

• The club postponed its return to training to June 30 after an agreement with the players, who will face a busy July with five matches in 19 days across three competitions.

• Atlético-MG may negotiate up to six players, including Arana, Lyanco, and Cuello, to balance the finances, but coach Cuca has guaranteed the Argentine striker will stay.

Bahia

• On loan at Cerezo Osaka and enjoying a great phase, Rafael Ratão said his time at Bahia "wasn't as he wanted" due to lack of playing time, especially under Rogério Ceni.

• Cauly is the player with the most appearances for Bahia in 2025, totaling 35 matches this season despite the rotation between starting and bench roles.

Botafogo

• Atletico Madrid 1 x 0 Botafogo, at Atletico Madrid’s home, Club World Cup.

• Despite the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, Botafogo qualified from the group stage of the Club World Cup, outperforming the Spanish club. With organization and dedication, Renato Paiva’s team showed defensive solidity and made history by advancing from a group considered impossible.

• Álvaro Montoro, Botafogo’s R$ 50 million signing, has been praised internally for his technique, intelligence, and game rhythm, standing out against PSG and Atletico Madrid. The 18-year-old midfielder is already seen as an option for the decisive Club World Cup matches.

• Gregore received a second yellow card for delay in taking a free kick and will miss Botafogo’s round of 16 match in the Club World Cup. Despite the defeat to Atletico Madrid, the team advanced in second place in the group, securing R$ 147.3 million in prize money.

Ceará

• Gabriel Lacerda is not in Ceará’s plans for 2025 and is expected to leave after losing space under coach Léo Condé.

• Ceará resumed training with the returns of Aylon and Matheus Bahia after injuries, while Lelê, Léo Rafael, Martínez, and Recalde were released as they are not in Léo Condé’s plans.

• On loan from Bahia, defender Marcos Victor has not played for Ceará for three months, making only two appearances since March and still struggling to earn a place under Léo Condé.

  
  

Cruzeiro

• Pedro Lourenço met with Alessandro Barcellos to discuss the potential signing of defender Victor Gabriel, a young prospect from Internacional, as a reinforcement for Cruzeiro.

• Cruzeiro is close to securing a new million-dollar contract with Mineirão, seeking better financial and operational terms to maintain the stadium as its official home.

• Since 2006, Brasileirão breaks have had varied impacts on Cruzeiro’s performance, without being decisive for their results.

Fluminense

• Fluminense risks losing Nonato, Martinelli, and Keno to suspension if they receive another yellow card against Mamelodi Sundowns. The team needs at least a draw to advance to the Club World Cup round of 16.

• With 13 assists in 2025, Jhon Arias is close to matching his best mark for Fluminense, with 17 goal assists. A highlight in the Club World Cup, he still has several competitions ahead this semester.

• Fluminense defeated Ulsan HD 4-2 with strategic changes in the starting lineup made by Renato Gaúcho, who analyzed physical wear and the opponent to set up the team. The coach said he will continue with rotations to keep the squad at a high level during the Club World Cup.

Flamengo

• Filipe Luís confirmed that he will make changes to Flamengo's lineup against LAFC, prioritizing squad rotation and testing players before the Club World Cup round of 16.

• De la Cruz felt left knee pain again, missed training, and is now doubtful for the remainder of the Club World Cup.

• Flamengo is progressing in renewal talks with Varela while facing growing European interest in Wesley, with Chelsea, City, Juventus, and Inter monitoring the right-back.

Fortaleza

• After nearly two weeks of pause, Fortaleza will resume training this Wednesday, still without announcing any signings during the Club World Cup break.

• Fortaleza requested the return of Bernardo Schappo, who was on loan at Vila Nova, to negotiate him with Portuguese football.

• Marcelo Paz, Fortaleza’s CEO, stated that the club has not yet sold its SAF (Football Joint-stock Company) because it seeks a model without majority sale, similar to Bayern Munich. He stressed that the challenge is finding an investor who will collaborate, preserve the club’s culture, and add value, rather than just being an "owner" imposing decisions.

Grêmio

• Grêmio scheduled a meeting with Arezo to clarify his future and address the striker’s dissatisfaction with his lack of opportunities.

• The club also scheduled a meeting to try to renew Cristaldo’s contract and prevent his departure to Europe or Argentina.

• John Textor rejected Grêmio’s R$ 28.5 million offer for Adryelson, demanding around R$ 44.5 million, making the negotiation difficult.

Internacional

• Internacional demands R$ 100 million to sell Rafael Borré, who has drawn interest from European clubs.

• Rafael Sobis urged Thiago Maia to make a clear decision about his future at Internacional to avoid friction with the fans.

• Since joining Internacional, Rochet has featured in half of the team’s matches but has faced several injuries and is currently sidelined after hand surgery.

Juventude

• Juventude is close to signing goalkeeper Gatito Fernández, ex-Botafogo, on loan from Cerro Porteño, pending the Paraguayan club’s approval. The signing is part of the squad overhaul for the second half of the Brasileirão after nine departures and ongoing training.

• Juventude had a friendly scheduled against a Uruguayan club in Rivera, but it will likely only happen in 2026. An invitation to a preparatory tournament in Spain was canceled.

Mirassol

• A mass brawl between players and fans halted the U-17 match between Mirassol and Tanabi for 26 minutes, ending in a 3-3 draw with four red cards. The São Paulo Football Federation condemned the violence and announced an investigation to impose penalties.

Sport Recife

• During the Brasileirão break, Sport intensified physical preparation with individualized training plans to prevent injuries, focusing on players like Hereda and Hyoran, while Gonçalo Paciência resumed normal training after two months sidelined.

• The youth team "Leões da Base" thrashed Nazlang 4-0, with goals from Arthur Maron (2), Jeffinho, and Dedé, reaching the final of the Madrid Cup.

• Cruzeiro is demanding US$ 3 million (R$ 16.5 million) from Sport to negotiate Lautaro Díaz, the same amount paid to Independiente Del Valle in 2024.

Vasco

• Vasco is in advanced talks to sign midfielder Thiago Mendes, 33, from Al-Rayyan, on a free transfer.

• Signing a top winger is Vasco’s priority for the transfer window, focusing on strengthening the squad for 2025 while also seeking a starting midfielder.

• Vasco has shown interest in striker Brenner from Udinese, with coach Fernando Diniz already contacting the player.

Vitória

• Vitória has 16 players with contracts expiring by the end of 2025 and is evaluating each case to decide who should stay for 2026. The club is particularly interested in keeping Lucas Halter, Jamerson, Baralhas, and Ronald, while others like Carlinhos and Léo Pereira are expected to return to their parent clubs.

• Carlos Eduardo, former Vitória player, was presented by Mirassol as a reinforcement for Série A after terminating his contract with the Bahia club in early June.