Lucas Paquetá gets another shot at revenge against Cruzeiro

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Coluna do Fla

·11 August 2026

Lucas Paquetá gets another shot at revenge against Cruzeiro

How is Lucas Paquetá preparing for the game against Cruzeiro in the Libertadores?

Since returning to Flamengo, Lucas Paquetá has made it clear that he came back aiming to win titles. This Wednesday (12), the midfielder will have the chance to play in a Copa Libertadores knockout match. Rubro-Negro’s opponent will be Cruzeiro, a club against which the Ninho graduate is also seeking personal revenge.

During his first spell at Flamengo, Lucas Paquetá faced Cruzeiro in decisive moments. In 2017, the then-young midfielder was on the field in the clashes against the Minas Gerais side in the Copa do Brasil final.

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In the first leg, the match ended in a 1-1 draw at the Maracanã. On that occasion, the only goal for Rubro-Negro in the tie was scored by Lucas Paquetá. In the return leg, the match ended goalless in normal time, but Cruzeiro came out on top in the penalty shootout.

The following year, Lucas Paquetá faced Cruzeiro again while playing for Flamengo, this time in the Libertadores round of 16. In the first leg at the Maracanã, the Minas Gerais team won 2-0. In the return leg, Léo Duarte did find the net at Mineirão; however, because of goal difference, the Belo Horizonte side advanced to the tournament quarterfinals.

WHAT DID LUCAS PAQUETÁ SAY ABOUT FACING CRUZEIRO AGAIN?

In a recent press conference, Lucas Paquetá commented on how he is thinking about this reunion with Cruzeiro. In his remarks, the Ninho graduate did not hide that he has special feelings ahead of the clash with the Minas Gerais side and, in addition, predicted what the battle with Gerson on the pitch should be like.

— I’d be lying if I said I’m not thinking about this game. It really is something special for me because it was a very sad elimination, so it’s a special game for me. I hope I can come out on top this time, that Flamengo win, that we go through. Gerson is a great friend of mine, a guy who was an idol here at Flamengo and today defends other colors, but on the pitch it’s him on one side and me on the other defending Flamengo, and I hope I can win -, he said.

WHAT IS LUCAS PAQUETÁ’S SITUATION AT FLAMENGO?

Lucas Paquetá had been recovering from a muscle injury suffered after returning from the World Cup. However, this Sunday (09), the Ninho graduate came on in the second half and helped in the 2-0 win over Vitória at the Maracanã. Now, the expectation is to find out whether the player will start against Cruzeiro in the Libertadores.

WHAT IS FLAMENGO’S NEXT MATCH?

With Lucas Paquetá available, Flamengo return to the pitch this Wednesday (12) to face Cruzeiro in the first leg of the Libertadores round of 16. In short, the ball starts rolling at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Mineirão. As usual, Coluna do Fla TV will show the details of the clash on YouTube, as well as on its website and social media.

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