Corinthians player admits ‘extra motivation’ to face Flamengo | OneFootball

Corinthians’ goalscorer against Flamengo, Gui Negão confirmed that facing the four-time Libertadores champions is special

It’s nothing new that every team plays a ‘World Cup final’ against Flamengo. However, it’s not common for the players themselves to admit it. On Sunday (13), after the Rubro-Negro’s 2-1 win in the Brasileirão, forward Gui Negão confirmed that facing the competition leaders is special.

“The game had extra motivation, of course, because it was Flamengo. Unfortunately, we couldn’t turn our chances into goals, but the effort was very important,” said Gui Negão in an interview in the mixed zone at the Maracanã after the match.

Gui Negão, in fact, did manage to scare Flamengo. O Mais Querido opened the scoring early in the second half through Lucas Paquetá. Later, the Corinthians striker leveled things up. However, Bruno Henrique, with a header in the 43rd minute of the second half, secured all three points and the top spot in the Brazilian Championship for Flamengo.

WILL THERE BE MORE FLAMENGO VS CORINTHIANS?

Flamengo and Corinthians have already faced each other three times this season, and the balance remains even. At the start of the year, the São Paulo side won the Brazilian Super Cup in Brasília with a 2-0 victory. In the Brasileirão, there was a 1-1 draw at Neo Química Arena, and now a 2-1 win for Mengão at the Maracanã.

But the teams could still meet in two more decisive clashes. That’s because their paths may cross in the Copa Libertadores. If Corinthians eliminate Estudiantes (ARG), they will face Flamengo or Independiente del Valle (ECU) in the semifinals.

Corinthians vs Estudiantes takes place on Wednesday (16) at Neo Química Arena. In the first leg, in La Plata, the match ended 1-1. Flamengo, on the other hand, take the field on Thursday (17) with a 2-0 advantage over Independiente del Valle, earned at the altitude of Quito. The clash at the Maracanã will kick off at 9:30 pm (Brasília time).

THE AUTHOR’S OPINION, IN SHORT

— Everyone wants to stand out, wants to grow when they face Flamengo. It’s a chance to land a good contract or catch Europe’s attention. After all, Flamengo has worldwide exposure. Scoring against Flamengo must be the pinnacle for any player who doesn’t have the chance to wear the Sacred Shirt. So it was nice to see that honesty from young Gui Negão — opined journalist Pedro Paulo Catonho of Coluna do Fla.

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