Flamengo face Fluminense with late doubts and returns | OneFootball

Fluminense and Flamengo face off at 9:30 PM at the Maracanã, for the 34th round of the Brazilian Championship, in a classic that could have a direct impact on the title race. While the Tricolor is fighting for a spot in the Libertadores and looking to stop their rival, Flamengo enters the field under pressure from the battle at the top of the table and the upcoming Libertadores final on the 29th, in Lima.

Rival’s Moment

Leader of the Brasileirão after thrashing Sport 5-1 in the previous round, Flamengo is enjoying a positive phase: three wins and two draws in the last five games, totaling 71 points, three more than Palmeiras. The classic, therefore, is treated internally as crucial to maintain the lead before the final rounds.

In addition to the national competition, coach Filipe Luís needs to adjust the team amid the return of called-up players and physical care on the eve of the continental final. The tendency is for the coach to make last-minute assessments to decide the starting 11 against Flu.

Squad Situation

The main news of the night should be the return of Jorginho, recovered from a muscle injury in his right thigh. The midfielder trained without pain and should be back in the squad.

On the other hand, defender Léo Ortiz is still a step behind in his recovery: he participated in part of the activities, but the chance of him playing in the classic is considered small.

Another point of attention is the group of players who were with their national teams. Arrascaeta, Varela, Viña, Carrascal, and Plata return to Rio de Janeiro only on Wednesday afternoon, which leaves their physical condition in doubt for the match. The expectation is that all will be evaluated, and Filipe Luís may choose to rest those showing greater fatigue.

The good news for Flamengo is that the call-ups Danilo and Alex Sandro should also return in time for the classic and may be included in the squad.

Probable Lineup

Flamengo is expected to take the field with:

Rossi; Emerson Royal, João Victor (Danilo), Léo Pereira, and Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, Saúl (Jorginho), Everton Cebolinha (Wallace Yan); Luiz Araújo, Bruno Henrique, and Samuel Lino.

For Fluminense, winning means more than just adding three points: it represents a chance to disrupt Flamengo’s title race and earn crucial points in the fight for a Libertadores spot. Flamengo is expected to have important absences, a scenario that Tricolor can take advantage of to control the pace of the match and exploit their rival’s fatigue.

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