Flamengo and Botafogo face each other in a derby scheduled for Sunday, with squads of unequal depth, but both count on midfield players going through similar situations. Erick Pulgar, a 32-year-old Chilean, and Danilo, a 25-year-old Brazilian, decided to stay at their clubs despite international interest, establishing themselves as pillars of their teams.
Pulgar renewed his contract with Flamengo until 2029 this week. Known as "pitbull" for his dedication on the field, the number 5 has the ability to play out from the back and lately has been a constant presence in attack, scoring goals and participating in set piece plays.
Danilo, on the other hand, chose to remain at Botafogo, where he assumes greater prominence in a team with fewer technical resources compared to the star-studded red-and-black squad. His quality as a number 8 to get forward and score is recognized and is what took him to the World Cup.
Both players share versatility, strength, dedication, and technical quality, gradually taking on a central role in their teams despite the different realities and levels of responsibility within each squad.
