At Landim's request, Flamengo goes 'all or nothing' for Claudinho

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:

Flamengo was about to close an agreement with Zenit to sign Claudinho, but negotiations did not progress as expected. The Russian club made negotiations difficult, demanding high amounts and prolonging the talks until the end of the transfer window. This situation almost compromised Flamengo's planning for the remainder of the season, especially during the month of August, when the squad needed to be complete to face the challenges of the ongoing competitions.

Despite this setback, Flamengo's management Flamengo managed to overcome the situation efficiently. Instead of insisting on negotiating with Zenit, the club redirected its focus and brought in a player 5 years younger than Claudinho, for a similar amount to what would be paid to the Russian club. This change in strategy ended up proving beneficial for Flamengo, who not only saved money in terms of the player's age and growth potential, but also guaranteed a signing that, in the end, could be more advantageous in the long term.

FLAMENGO HAS A NEW DIRECTION IN NEGOTIATIONS

Although the delay in the transfer window generated concern and almost compromised the team's performance in August, the board managed to reverse the situation in time. The new reinforcement arrives with great expectations and can contribute significantly to the team, especially considering his age and potential.

The experience serves as a learning experience for the Flamengo in future negotiations, showing that insisting on an option is not always the best strategy, and that being prepared for alternatives can bring even better results. In short, Flamengo knew how to transform a complicated situation into an opportunity. Instead of focusing on the difficulties imposed by Zenit, the board acted quickly and found a solution that, apparently, could be even more advantageous for the club in the medium and long term.