''THE BEST TEAM IN BRAZIL'', PRAISES CRUZEIRO PLAYER ABOUT FLAMENGO

Tite defined Flamengo and announced the 11 starters who will face Peñarol, this Thursday, at Maracanã, at 7pm. De la Cruz returns to the starting lineup in place of Léo Ortiz, and Alex Sandro and Plata were retained. The duel with the Uruguayans is the first between the teams in the quarter-finals of the Copa Conmebol Libertadores. Follow the Red and Black lineup:Rossi, Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Pulgar, De la Cruz, Gerson and Arrascaeta; Plata and Bruno Henrique.

Alex Sandro and Plata, debutants in last Sunday's classic, remain in the team after having good performances in the draw against Vasco. Gabigol is now out of the relationship due to fibrosis in the posterior muscle of his right thigh. Flamengo, in a statement, reported that the athlete did not suffer any injury in the region. Check it out:

"The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo informs that the athlete Gabriel Barbosa underwent tests that did not diagnose an injury to the posterior muscle of his right thigh. However, the Technical Committee opted for precaution and did not list him for the duel against Peñarol due to fibrosis in the region. Gabi is handed over to physiotherapists and physical trainers for the series of decisive games of the season."

Flamengo faces Peñarol (URU) in the first game of the CONMEBOL Libertadores quarter-finals and, here, you can watch the broadcast, live, with 2h30 of pre-game, interviews, the team's arrival at Maracanã and everything more.

Follow the match live here:

The future of Gabigol is uncertain, but the player should not stay at Flamengo. The statements made by the club's managers, which have even irritated the player, indicate that the end of the cycle is real and a new renewal should not be offered. Therefore, Gabriel must now evaluate possible destinations, after much speculation from Corinthians and Palmeiras. But Everton Ribeiro's Bahia is another possibility.

Flamengo's own idol, Everton Ribeiro, invited his former teammate to join him in Salvador. The midfielder gave an interview to TNT Sports and responded about Gabigol, stating that Bahia would be an incredible destination and that he is counting on his arrival. Furthermore, he passed the responsibility on to the Bahian team's manager, showing himself excited about the possibility.

“It's a great destination. We count on him here. He just says he wants us to make a call. I talk to Cadu (Santoro) and he gives his way. Gabi is a great striker, he has a beautiful story at Flamengo. If he leaves, may he go to a big club like Bahia. If you get here, it will help a lot. I'm sure he has many goals ahead of him in his career”, says Everton Ribeiro.

Ex-Flamengo, Everton Ribeiro did not reach an agreement with Flamengo to remain at the club, seeing his contract end at the end from last season. The same happens with Gabigol, who has a contract until December and did not reach a consensus with the Mengão board about staying.

Bahia appears in the fight for Gabigol

< The matter came up with Everton Ribeiro, but Gabigol's name had already been mentioned in Bahia. Still in July, when Flamengo spent some games during the window without listing the player to help their staff find a destination in Brazil without the number of games in the Brasileirão getting in the way, the athlete was linked to the Bahian club.

< The information, at the time, was brought by the channel Paparazzo Rubro-Negro, which published that Bahia was evaluating the possibility of hiring. The Bahians were fighting at the top of the table and dreamed of another Flamengo idol in the middle of the year, but Gabriel Barbosa remained.

Gabigol, therefore, fulfills his contract, but the news was also that Bahia could wait until December to negotiate directly with the player, just as Palmeiras and Corinthians could also do.