Jardim explains Flamengo player's absence v Vitória, Copa do Brasil | OneFootball

De La Cruz was not used in Flamengo vs Vitória match

Flamengo were beaten by Vitória this Thursday (14), 2-0, and were knocked out of the 2026 Copa do Brasil. After the match, Leonardo Jardim addressed why Nico De La Cruz was not used, stating that it was not the ideal game for the Uruguayan.

— You saw that it was a very direct game, with a lot of physical contact. This type of game is not for De La Cruz. In the home match he played, but today the choice was to have more presence in the box -, he said, before concluding:

— We had more ease getting into the final third, so I put on players to fill the box. Cebolinha, Luiz Araújo, and De La Cruz find it harder to compete in that kind of setup inside the box -, Jardim said.

How did the Flamengo vs Vitória match go?

Even playing away from home, Flamengo had 74% possession, took 26 shots (compared to the opponent’s five), missed chances from point-blank range, but failed to score. On the other hand, with two attacks, Erick and Luan Cândido sent Vitória through to the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With De La Cruz available, Flamengo now turn their focus back to the Brasileirão. This Sunday (17), Leonardo Jardim’s team face Athletico-PR at 7:30 PM (Brasília time) at Arena da Baixada, in the 16th round of the national league.

So, as tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match between Flamengo and Athletico-PR through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, SporTV (cable TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Brasileirão match.

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