Flamengo travel to Belo Horizonte on Wednesday needing a win against 2nd place Atlético Mineiro to all but end any threat of relegation from the league this season. However, the Rio giants know that a victory against Ronaldinho’s team could effectively hand the title straight to their fiercest rivals Fluminense.
Despite calls from some Flamengo fans to lose the game so to not help out their rivals, striker Vagner Love believes his team cannot afford to think of helping Fluminense, and should just concentrate on winning 3 points for themselves.
He told Globo Esporte: “We do not have to think of it that way (to help Fluminense), but to defend ourselves. Some fans will be upset, but we are still connected with the relegation fight. If we had done better, we could be fighting with our rival, but it is good that a team from Rio can win the championship.”
The former CSKA Moscow striker also said he did not expect a ‘gift’ of cash from Fluminense to encourage them to beat Atlético, despite the fact that it would be welcome given some players have not been paid for 52 days.
“Fluminense would not give money to Flamengo (laughs). I think we are the team that could use this, but the backlash they would have, would not be worth it.”
