Flamengo’s Club World Cup campaign has already got off to a dramatic start before a ball has even been kicked, with their send-off resulting in police reportedly using stun grenades and rubber bullets to quell protests.
Flamengo are one of four Brazilian sides in the 32-club competition, along with Fluminense, Botafogo and Palmeiras, and will face Chelsea, ES Tunis and Mexico’s Leon in the groups.
However, their campaign comes at a time when one of their key stars, Gerson, is nearing an exit to Russian side Zenit St Petersburg, which has proven quite a divisive issue among the fans.
An estimated 3,000 supporters arrived at Galeao Airport in Rio de Janeiro for the send-off of the 31-man squad, however same came armed with barbed farewell gifts.
Allegedly chanting ‘Gerson, go f*** yourself, Flamengo doesn’t need you,’ many of the red-black fans brought fake R$3 bills with the player’s face on it, calling him a ‘mercenary, Judas, traitor’.
A video was posted on social media of fans holding their middle fingers up in the direction of the team bus and chanting.
Star player Gerson is set to depart for Zenit St Petersburg in a move that has incensed fans
Fans were seen climbing aboard the team’s bus after it arrived at Rio de Janeiro’s Galeao airport
One report claims that some fans managed to make their way onto the bus, which resulted in an increase in the tensions.
The Military Police are thought to have used stun grenades in an attempt to disperse the fans.
On arrival at the airport, some fans managed to gain access to the top of the bus, as per reports, with police using pepper spray and rubber bullets.
A specific traffic plan had been constructed for the event with roadblocks put up near to the airport, perhaps in anticipation of the unrest surrounding Gerson.
The 28-year-old midfielder is in his second stint at the club, having left for Marseille in 2021 before returning in January 2023.
Interestingly he first featured for Flamengo’s Fla-Flu rivals Fluminense back in 2016 before he departed for Italy, with stints at Roma and Fiorentina.
Since his return though he has been one of their most important players, playing 141 times, though he has only managed 11 goals.
The Rio-based side will fly into Atlantic City and will have their first training session ahead of the competition on Thursday.
Reports had suggested around 3,000 fans had turned out for the Club World Cup send-off
Gerson has made 141 appearances for Flamengo in his second spell at the club
They will be based at the Stockton University for their first two matches, which will be against Tunisian side ES Tunis on Tuesday, and Chelsea next Friday.
They will then move to a new home for their match up with Mexico’s Leon, which will be played in Florida the following Wednesday.
The Club World Cup has this season been expanded to a 32-team competition and will be hosted across the United States of America.
As well as Chelsea, Manchester City will be representing the Premier League, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG, Juventus, RB Salzburg, Benfica and Porto flying the European flag.
