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:

Jorge Sampaoli, Argentine coach who recently left Flamengo, has made it clear that his career plans remain focused away from Brazil. Despite inquiries from Brazilian clubs, he does not intend to return to the country for now. The coach, who has a striking and often controversial style, has received proposals from other parts of the world, but maintains his focus on another objective: Europe.

Since leaving Flamengo, Sampaoli has been the target of consultations by clubs in Brazil, who sought to bring the coach into future projects. However, the Argentine rejected all these approaches. In addition to the Brazilian market, he also turned down major offers from Monterrey, one of the main clubs in Mexico, and the Ecuador national team.

These invitations could have been a good opportunity to Sampaolireturn to the international scene, especially in the case of a national team, which normally offers stability and visibility. However, the Argentine appears to be more interested in following another route. He has his sights set on European football, where he hopes to find the kind of challenge that really motivates him at this point in his career.

Sampaoli has made it clear that his biggest goal is to return to work in European football. The coach has already spent time on the old continent, such as at Sevilla, and sees Europe as the ideal setting for the next phase of his career. He believes that European football offers a more competitive environment and in line with his gaming philosophy.