"We will be ruthless," says Flamengo's president.

Stephania Mello_247 - Since 11 am this Friday (1) the press was waiting for a press conference from the Flamengo board to talk about the Ronaldinho Gaúcho case, at the club's headquarters in Gávea, south of Rio. By the courts, the club was informed about a labor claim of R$ 40 million; by the press it was informed that the contract was terminated and that the striker was no longer a Flamengo player. Surprise, indignation, sadness. At two in the afternoon, the interview began with the presence of the president of Flamengo, Patrícia Amorim, the vice-president of Football, former player Zinho, and the vice-president of Legal Affairs, the lawyer Rafael De Piro. The three used harsh words and raised the tone of their defense.

Patrícia spoke first and made it clear that the club will go to the furthest extent in court to defend its rights. De Piro highlighted his indignation at the way the termination was handled, contested some points made by the athlete in the labor lawsuit, and said that the case has become a matter of honor both inside and outside Flamengo. Former player Zinho, responsible for football at Gávea, seemed the most surprised and assessed that the demands he made of professional athletes regarding discipline and behavior were the reason for the number 10's departure from the team.

On the afternoon of last Thursday (31), the player's lawyer, Gislaine Nunes, informed the press that a preliminary injunction from the Labor Court allowed the termination of the contract between Flamengo and the player Ronaldinho Gaúcho. And that he was no longer a player for the club. The club was informed by the media and by a court order. Gaúcho is suing for a debt estimated to be over R$ 40 million. Flamengo was surprised by the counter-attack in the war that is far from over.

Read below the text about the press conference, published on Flamengo's official website, titled "The fight is just beginning":

Patricia Amorim spoke out, guaranteeing that she will do everything possible to defend Flamengo's honor in the face of this blow.

"I wanted to tell the nation that we feel disappointed and sad. We made a huge effort and believed deeply in this investment when we signed him. The first year was a great deal, and with the departure of our partner, we acted wisely, believing we would see a return. We took on a debt that wasn't ours, and from then on, we maintained frank, eye-to-eye conversations with the player. Now we're being hit back by someone who said he would leave through the front door," said the Flamengo president, addressing her words to the fans, Flamengo's greatest asset.

"The fans were also betting on him when we signed him, but over time, what everyone expected didn't happen. It was a huge disappointment, and I apologize to the fans if Flamengo failed. But we will be relentless in pursuing the club's rights. We will mobilize for this and will do everything in our power, in every sphere. There is no player, director... no one who can think they are bigger than Flamengo. And we will not allow anyone to try to tarnish the name of the institution. The fight is just beginning."

Legal sphere

Rafael De Piro, the club's legal vice president, explained that some of the points raised in Ronaldinho Gaúcho's lawsuit are not true. Furthermore, he, like the club president, stated that this case has become a matter of honor for the club's supporters, both inside and outside the club.

"The general feeling is one of outrage over everything he's done to the club during this entire time. We made a huge effort to keep the player here and received nothing in return. In return, we received a court order. Flamengo fans can be sure that all of this will translate into hard work. I've been receiving calls from many people involved in the legal field, from all over Brazil, and we'll have a nationwide mobilization. This has become a matter of honor for Flamengo. We will fight this case wherever it takes us," he explained, reaffirming that the amount requested by the athlete is questionable.

"This amount makes no sense to us; it's unreasonable. What Flamengo owes the player is image rights. I don't believe the club should pay any fines, and we've already proven that the FGTS was deposited. Eventually, Flamengo could even ask for compensation."

Football

Newly arrived at the Flamengo football department, director Zinho was also blunt when commenting on Ronaldinho Gaúcho's decision to take legal action against Flamengo. According to him, the player was the one who wasn't professional, and for a while.

"Flamengo's football team's position is the same as the president's. I was hired with the autonomy to be professional. I didn't come here to play around. When I arrived, I was asked to keep Flamengo's football team organized and conduct itself professionally. I was clear with the players, and I don't like talking to the press. I was direct and spoke to everyone. I spoke to him only once about a deviation, and I said, in front of everyone, that we wouldn't allow it. The mess is over, the party's over. I told them that whoever wants to stay, stays. Whoever doesn't, leaves. And they all said they wanted to, including Ronaldinho," said Zinho, going into more detail about the latest developments.

"He didn't go on the team's trip to Piauí. We already had a position, but he came forward and filed for his release in court. Things got tighter, there were no more perks for anyone, and I think that may have been one of the reasons he left through the back door. I always tried to motivate him, to bring him back. It would have been a good thing for both sides. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. We tried, but he didn't want to. He made mistakes with Flamengo's football and didn't behave like a professional athlete. I'm also sad; I didn't want it to be this way, but the fans need to know that we fight for Flamengo. The club is above all else, and this is the conduct to be followed," he concluded.