Leonardo Jardim on Flamengo player missing v Vitória in Copa do Brasil | OneFootball

De La Cruz was not used in Flamengo vs Vitória match

Flamengo was beaten by Vitória this Thursday (14), 2-0, and ended its 2026 Copa do Brasil campaign. After the match, Leonardo Jardim addressed Nico De La Cruz not being used, stating that it was not the ideal match for the Uruguayan.

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

— We had an easier time getting into the final third, so I put in players to occupy the box. Cebolinha, Luiz Araújo, and De La Cruz find it harder to compete in this 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 close range, but failed to find the net. On the other hand, with two attacks, Erick and Luan Cândido put Vitória into the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With De La Cruz available, Flamengo now turns its focus back to the Brasileirão. This Sunday (17), Leonardo Jardim’s team faces Athletico-PR at 7:30 p.m. (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.