Gerson's message before Flamengo v Cruzeiro in the Libertadores

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Coluna do Fla

·13 August 2026

Gerson's message before Flamengo v Cruzeiro in the Libertadores

Gerson prepares to face Flamengo again this Wednesday (12)

Flamengo and Cruzeiro face off this Wednesday (12) at Mineirão in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16. One of the main storylines of the clash is Gerson, the midfielder for the Minas Gerais side, who will come up against Rubro-Negro again.

In an interview with Conmebol, Gerson spoke about the level of difficulty in the Libertadores. In addition, the two-time continental champion with Flamengo highlighted the very small margin for error in the competition.

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What did Gerson say about the Libertadores?

— The Libertadores taught me to make fewer mistakes. In the Libertadores, you can’t make mistakes, because mistakes are crucial. A lot of times you face a team that people on the outside say is below your team’s level, but when the match starts it’s completely different, because they are players from countries used to games like this — he said, before concluding:

— And what stays with you from the experience is that you can’t make mistakes, even at home. You have to be very prepared. But a team that wants to be champion, to reach the day of Eternal Glory, which is the ultimate moment, can’t be picky — Gerson concluded.

Will Gerson start in Flamengo vs Cruzeiro?

Coach Artur Jorge named Cruzeiro’s lineup with the former Flamengo player in the starting XI. So, the Minas Gerais side will take the field with the following names: Otávio; William, Fabrício Bruno, Jonathan Jesus and Gabriel Rojas; Matheus Henrique, Gerson and Matheus Pereira; Arroyo, Wesley and Kaio Jorge.

Flamengo, on the other hand, is also ready for the match. Leonardo Jardim lined up Rubro-Negro with the following players: Rossi; Royal, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, Jorginho and Arrascaeta; Plata, Samuel Lino and Bruno Henrique.

Did Gerson wear the Flamengo shirt?

Gerson was, in addition to being the club captain, one of Flamengo’s main players in the 2025 season. Wearing the Sacred Shirt, the midfielder played 253 matches, totaling 19 goals and 34 assists. Even so, the player decided to accept an offer from Zenit (RUS) in July.

In addition, Gerson is one of the players with the most titles in Flamengo’s history. Overall, the ‘Joker’ won 14 trophies wearing the red-and-black shirt: three Brasileirões, one Copa do Brasil, two Libertadores, three Brazilian Super Cups, one Recopa Sudamericana and four Carioca titles.

What is the article author’s opinion on Gerson?

Gerson’s reunion with Flamengo promises strong emotions. The first time the player and Fla faced each other was in March 2026, and the midfielder did not have an easy night. In addition to taunts and insults from the Rubro-Negro fans, Cruzeiro was beaten 2-0 at the Maracanã. This time, however, the ‘Joker’ is in good form and promises to cause problems for Leonardo Jardim’s defense,” said Davi Esteves, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.