Chelsea's Andrey Santos ‘looking forward' to fan reception from former rivals Flamengo
Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos says he is looking forward to the hostile reception he is likely to receive from Flamengo fans during the Club World Cup match on Friday.
Santos joined Chelsea from Flamengo's local rivals Vasco de Gama in January 2023, having helped the club where he played his entire youth career achieve promotion from the Brazilian second division in 2022-23. He then returned on loan for the remainder of 2023-24, helping them to consolidate in the top flight before making his permanent move to Europe.
Advertisement
Flamengo's rivalry with Vasco is one of the biggest in Brazilian football, with matches known as the Classico dos Milhoes (Derby of Millions), referencing their respective large fan followings in Rio de Janeiro state.
Santos is keenly aware of how much importance the FIFA Club World Cup carries for the Brazilian clubs participating, and fully expects to be a target for the passionate Flamengo fans in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field.
'It's hard because I played for Flamengo's rival, so of course when I'm on the pitch they're probably not going to say nice things about me!' he said. 'It's probably going to happen but it's football, it's normal for me. I'm looking forward to it.
'Flamengo and Vasco da Gama is like Argentina and Brazil. It's a big derby so we have to improve in this game, but I'm so happy to play against Flamengo again.'
Speaking to ESPN Brasil, he added: 'The pressure is great. I receive a lot of messages from Vasco fans on Instagram, there is also pressure from my friends, from my father, so I think I am under a lot of pressure regarding the result, but I hope everything goes well.
'Everyone is asking for a victory, my father is also very critical, he asked for a goal against Flamengo. If I have the opportunity, to do everything to come out victorious and, God willing, to be able to score a goal.'
(Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Inter Milan & Italy Star Loses Temper With PSG Fans: ‘Don't Take The P*ss With Me'
Inter Milan & Italy Star Loses Temper With PSG Fans: 'Don't Take The P*ss With Me' Inter Milan defender Francesco Acerbi lost his temper with a group of PSG fans, taking a threatening tone during an autograph session. An Instagram video captures the moment that the 37-year-old burst out 'don't take the p*ss with me' before telling a fan he'd 'punch' them. Advertisement Inter Milan are currently in the United States for the Club World Cup. As part of their visit, the Nerazzurri are also getting the chance to meet with fans stateside. This is a rare opportunity for many fans to greet the players. Inter Defender Francesco Acerbi Threatens PSG Fans: 'Don't Take The P*ss, I'll Punch You!' PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 17: Francesco Acerbi #15 of FC Internazionale Milano warms up prior to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CF Monterrey and FC Internazionale Milano at Rose Bowl Stadium on June 17, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by) At one autograph session, Inter defender Francesco Acerbi encountered fans of Paris Saint-Germain. PSG are the team that battered Inter 5-0 in the Champions League final last month. And evidently, Acerbi did not appreciate the reminder – and some taunts from one fan in particular. A PSG fan reminded the 37-year-old of his losing battle with star winger Bradley Barcola. 'Don't take the p*ss with me!' he replied. 'France are top, sure. But Barcola-Acerbi, no.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
🔎 What to watch out for this Friday at the Club World Cup
🔎 What to watch out for this Friday at the Club World Cup The second round of group matches continues on Friday at the FIFA Club World Cup, and here at OneFootball we bring you the most interesting highlights of the day. Register on DAZN to watch ALL FIFA Club World Cup matches for FREE. Who's playing today? 👀 📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP or licensors Advertisement Will Bayern unleash their full offensive fury again against Boca Juniors? The challenge grows for the German champions in a completely different setting from their debut against Auckland City. Today is also an important day in Group D, with Flamengo and Chelsea on display, both seeking the top spot. LAFC and Espérance play to avoid packing their bags early. Player to watch 🔎 📸 Dylan Buell - 2025 Getty Images His hat trick in the first matchday was a delight for those of us who have been waiting for his return to the scene after his injury. He's one of the world's top young talents, and today, against Boca, he faces the kind of match that can define careers. Must-see video 🎥 The one who appears in the middle of the water as the hours pass before the clash with Bayern is Sebastián Battaglia, Boca Juniors legend, who receives a well-deserved ovation and chants from his fans. Fun facts 📊 Flamengo have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last eight matches. Auckland City's last six Club World Cup matches have ended with a combined score of 21-1 against them. Espérance of Tunisia always wins when they score first. This has been the case in their last nine matches. Our prediction Benfica-Auckland City 4-1 Flamengo-Chelsea 2-1 LAFC-Esperance 2-2 Bayern-Boca Juniors 3-1 Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP or licensors
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Golf Gives Gareth Bale A New Sport To Try To Master
Gareth Bale putts during the first round of the Sunningdale Foursomes at Sunningdale Golf Club in ... More England. To say Gareth Bale's tenure at Real Madrid was polarizing is an understatement. From 2013-22, Bale dazzled on the field by scoring 106 goals across all competitions—two more than Ronaldo—and his bicycle kick against Liverpool in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final is heralded as one of the best goals in Champions League Final history. Bale also won 15 trophies while playing in the Spanish capital—more than double Zinedine Zidane's tally of six as a Madrid player. Despite achieving the success and accolades most players could only dream of, the Welshman still faced criticism. Some questioned why he didn't speak Spanish publicly, though Bale has since come out saying he didn't want to 'have this big fuss around me.' Others even questioned his priorities and commitment to the club. Former Real Madrid sporting director Pedja Mijatovic claimed on the radio that despite not speaking to Bale, the impression he got was that the player's priorities were allegedly: 'Wales, golf and Madrid—in that order.' While soccer remained his passion and priority until he retired in January 2023, Bale was introduced to another competitive outlet during his time at Tottenham Hotspur when he was about 20 years old: golf. 'You're playing football all the time, so it's nice to kind of mix it up,' Bale said recently from adidas global headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. 'It's difficult to play other sports, so if you're playing tennis or another sport where it requires a lot of movement, it can really tire you out, but in golf you can get around it in a cart where you're getting in and out hitting golf shots and it's not massively strenuous. 'Once you start to hit a couple of cleaner shots, it kind of really sucks you in and gets you addicted.' After starring for Southampton as a teenager, Bale signed a four-year deal with Tottenham in 2007. Playing with teammates mainly during the offseason or on the rare off day from training, golf gave Bale another competitive outlet without the physical demands—and risks—that came with professional soccer. 'Basically as soon as I started playing, that natural competitive instinct of trying to get better went in straight away,' said Bale, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner. 'And you just want to keep improving—playing better, shooting better scores, not losing so many balls. It was that natural progression.' As his soccer career progressed, including a brief loan spell with Spurs as well as a 13 appearances with LAFC, Bale's golf obsession continued to blossom in the background as he helped his national team qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 64 years. (Celebrating with a Welsh flag with 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.' written on it certainly didn't win over any Madridistas.) Bale's backyard of his Welsh estate is a golfer's paradise with replica holes of TPC Sawgrass' Island Green, Augusta National's Golden Bell and Royal Troon's Postage Stamp. He's played in Pro-Ams and charity competitions as he continues to lower his handicap, which was at 0.1 as of February. He was quick to point out he wasn't officially scratch (0.0) yet, meaning shooting par or better on a regular basis. Bale also continues to work with adidas as he transitions from the soccer field to the fairway. Rather than sharing feedback on optimizing soccer cleats to give him a competitive advantage as he speeds by defenders, Bale is now providing feedback on adidas golf shoes and apparel. 'I always say in football it was so important to me as I got faster and more powerful, I needed a boot that could withstand the amount of weight I was putting on it so my foot wouldn't move and I was able to react quickly,' he said. 'It's having that same kind of stability through the foot where you can go after a drive knowing where you push off the ground, your foot's not really going to slip inside the shoe and also having the traction on the bottom so you stay on the grass. 'I think it's so important to have the confidence in your footwear that you're able to not really have to think about it so you can concentrate on the more important aspects of your game which is trying to hit the ball straight.' Recently linked to a U.S.-based private equity company eyeing a potential takeover of Plymouth Argyle, whether or not Bale gets into club ownership is still to be determined, but his pursuit of perfection on the course remains. 'I knew I wasn't going to master it quite like I did football,' Bale said. 'It was something I really enjoyed doing and, most importantly, was able to do (during my playing career).'
