Brazilian Flamengo dismissed coach Filipe Luís just hours after thrashing Madureira 8-0 and advancing to the Campeonato Carioca final. The decision was announced on Tuesday, days after the loss to Lanús in the South American Recopa and amidst a season start with results below expectations. The Rio de Janeiro-based team secured its place in the state final with an aggregate score of 11-0, having won the first leg 3-0 at the Maracanã. At the 2025 Club World Cup, they topped their group ahead of Chelsea but were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich. The start of 2026 proved crucial: five defeats in 12 matches and two lost finals, including the Brazilian Super Cup against Corinthians. However, the resounding victory did not alter the internal landscape. In an official statement, the club announced that as of March 3, the 40-year-old coach will no longer lead the professional squad. Assistant coach Ivan Palanco and physical trainer Diogo Linhares also left the institution. Filipe Luís had taken charge on September 30, 2024, replacing Tite after retiring as a player in 2023. During his tenure, he won five titles: the 2024 Copa do Brasil, the Super Cup, the 2025 Brasileirão, and the 2025 Copa Libertadores, with the latter's highlight being the 1-0 final win over Palmeiras. This triumph led to a two-year contract extension in December after negotiations marked by salary differences, a deal that was terminated just two months later. Internationally, the team overcame Cruz Azul and Pyramids FC in the 2025 Intercontinental Cup but lost the final on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in Al Rayyan. Before his departure was made public, the coach had left a farewell message: "Whatever happens, if I'm not here tomorrow, my love for Flamengo will always exist. I have no doubt that the best years of my life I have lived here."
