Coluna do Fla
·2 Oktober 2025
Gabigol returns to Maracanã to face Flamengo since Cruzeiro move

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Yahoo sportsColuna do Fla
·2 Oktober 2025
Flamengo and Cruzeiro face off this Thursday (02), for the 26th round of the Brasileirão. Considered one of the greatest idols of the current generation of the Most Beloved, Gabigol and Fla will meet for the first time at Maracanã since the striker's move to the Minas Gerais club.
With this, Gabigol will reunite with the Red-Black Nation at Maracanã, where he was happy representing Flamengo for six seasons. Now, defending Cruzeiro, the striker returns to the 'Temple of Football'.
It's important to note that the Flamengo fans sold out the tickets for the game against Cruzeiro. With this, Gabigol's reunion with the Nation promises strong emotions. This is because, despite the importance to Fla, the former number 9 (10 and 99) is not unanimous.
Therefore, the expectation is to see how the Flamengo fans will behave in the reunion with Gabigol, as more than 70 thousand supporters are expected to be present at Maracanã for the 'decision' against Cruzeiro.
In summary, Gabigol's last game for Flamengo was on December 8, 2024. At the time, the Most Beloved faced Vitória, for the 38th round of the Brazilian Championship. At Maracanã, the former number 99 said goodbye to the Red-Black Nation with a goal in the 2-2 draw with the Bahia club.
It's worth noting that a series of tributes were made to Gabigol. On the occasion, the ticket and the cup of the game against Vitória had the face of number 99 printed. In addition, the red-black fans made a mosaic dedicated to the athlete, as well as several flags.
In total, the Flamengo fans displayed four flags in tribute to Gabigol. In one of them, only the player's face. In another, Gabriel Barbosa appeared next to Zico, both holding their respective Libertadores trophies. Finally, phrases such as: "Closed with Gabigol" and "Uh, uh, look at the turnaround Gabriel, incredible, incredible", which referred to João Guilherme's narration in the 2019 Liberta final.
Finally, to bid Gabigol a grand farewell, the Flamengo fans sold out the tickets for the game against Vitória. Thus, more than 67 thousand supporters were present at Maracanã to say goodbye to the club's idol. In the stands, a lot of emotion and commotion from the red-blacks.
It's worth mentioning that Gabigol's stint at Flamengo lasted six seasons and about five years. This is because, the striker stayed at the Most Beloved from 2019 until the end of 2024. With the Sacred Mantle, the player made history by winning 13 titles, among them, two Libertadores, two Brasileirãos and two Brazil Cups.
Currently, Flamengo remains at the top of the Brasileirão. This is because, the Most Beloved has 54 points. Palmeiras, who beat Vasco in the 26th round, is in second place, with 52. Finally, Cruzeiro, who faces Fla, is in third, with 50.
Not surprisingly, the game between Flamengo and Cruzeiro is considered a 'six-point' match. This is because, the direct confrontation will not change the leadership of the Brasileirão, but, it will determine how much advantage the Red-Black can open.
Finally, Flamengo and Cruzeiro face off starting at 8:30 pm (Brasília time) this Thursday (02), for the 26th round of the Brasileirão. The direct confrontation takes place at Maracanã, with live broadcast on SporTV (subscription channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view).
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.