Filipe Luis held talks with Chelsea’s ownership group before he was sacked by Flamengo, in response to reports in Brazil.
The 40-year-old, who won the Premier League and League Cup in his single season at Chelsea, guided Flamengo to seven trophies after replacing former Brazil head coach Tite in September 2024.
In what turned out to be his final game in charge, Luis’ Flamengo side sealed an 8-0 win against Madureira to achieve the ultimate of the Carioca where they may face Fluminense.
But Flamengo president, Luiz Eduardo Baptista, also known as Bap, opted to sack Luis within the early hours of Tuesday morning following the sport.
In keeping with UOL Esporte, a part of the explanation behind the breakdown in relationship between Luis and Baptista was the invention of his talks with Chelsea’s BlueCo ownership, who had held talks over a move to Strasbourg.
UOL Esporte’s Rodrigo Mattos said: ‘What wasn’t known, and which is information circulating inside Flamengo’s board now, is that two weeks ago Bap discovered that Filipe had been negotiating with Chelsea within the meantime.
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‘He negotiated with Chelsea, possibly to work there for the Chelsea group, and through this negotiation, he didn’t speak to Flamengo for about three days.
‘At a certain point, Filipe discovers that – and that is the version inside Flamengo, I repeat, I haven’t had time to talk with sources near Filipe yet – it’s not for Chelsea, but for Strasbourg, which is the club within the group, and upon discovering this, he returns to the negotiating table with Flamengo.
‘I believe it’s normal for him to have negotiations with one other club to eventually switch clubs. But Bap discovered this two weeks ago, felt deceived, and the connection, which already had cracks, became much more turbulent, which generates little or no patience for bad results.’
Meanwhile, in an audio recording circulating amongst Flamengo’s hierarchy, which was leaked to the media in Brazil, Baptista explained the explanations behind the choice to sack Luis.
‘What’s being said really happened, however it’s not the major reason. Everyone has the appropriate to speak and evaluate what’s best for themselves. I even have little question that this happens not only with Filipe, but with other guys as well,’ Baptista said within the recording.
‘In my opinion, it’s like this: if you get on the flawed train in life, what you have got to do? Get off at the primary possible station and return. My unwavering commitment is to the institution, to Flamengo.
‘After I don’t consider that what’s being done will take Flamengo to where we would like it to be, I even have to act. That’s exactly what I did. I’m intervening fundamentally because I consider that, considering every part that was being done, we weren’t stepping into the direction I consider appropriate for the institution.’
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