Arrascaeta and Luiz Araújo command impressive numbers at Flamengo

Flamengo hosted Cruzeiro this Thursday (2), at Maracanã, for the 26th round of the Brazilian Championship, and the duel ended in a 0-0 draw. Despite the chances created, especially in the second half, goalkeepers Rossi and Cássio were protagonists and ensured the score was zero.

Flamengo started with more possession and offensive pressure, but couldn't convert their dominance into goals. Cruzeiro, on the other hand, leveled the scoreline and created the best chances of the first half , with Kaio Jorge and Christian both being saved by Rossi . The red-and-blacks' best chance came from Arrascaeta's header that went just wide of the post.

SECOND HALF HAS EXPULSION

The game picked up in intensity in the second half, with both teams pushing forward more. Flamengo nearly opened the scoring with shots from Samuel Lino, Plata, and Carrascal , but Cássio made crucial saves to keep Cruzeiro in the match.

In the 37th minute, right-back William received his second yellow card for a foul on Bruno Henrique and was sent off , leaving the Minas Gerais team with ten men. Even so, the Rubro-Negro team was unable to capitalize on their numerical superiority.

TENSION AND MANY CARDS

The referee handed out several cards throughout the 90 minutes. Fabrício Bruno and Kaio Jorge were cautioned, while Léo Pereira, Alex Sandro, and Carrascal also received yellow cards for Flamengo. The match was marked by complaints, strong tackles, and penalty calls ignored by VAR.

BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATION

With the draw, Flamengo reaches 55 points and remains atop the Brazilian Championship, keeping a tight lead over Palmeiras, who sits in second place. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, reaches 51 points and remains firmly in the race for the top spots.

An idol among Flamengo fans for his historic work between 2019 and 2020, Jorge Jesus still dreams of returning to manage Flamengo . This information was revealed by Kleber Leite, the club's former president and a personal friend of the coach. According to him, the coach would accept an offer to return to the club.

JORGE JESUS WANTS TO COME BACK?

In an interview with Canal Mundo GV, hosted by former goalkeeper Getúlio Vargas, Kleber revealed that Jorge Jesus was very close to re-signing Flamengo in 2021, following Renato Gaúcho's departure. At the time, Flamengo's board traveled to Portugal to negotiate directly with the coach . A meeting was even held, but after asking for time to decide, Jesus decided to sign Paulo Sousa.

"He could have been at Flamengo a long time ago. (...) You know that story about you running to avoid getting there? Flamengo ran to avoid getting there. They didn't want to, actually, that's it. (...) I have no doubt that Jesus would accept an offer from Flamengo . Here or even with the Brazilian national team, where they also lost their chance. He was the coach at the time," declared Kleber Leite.

JORGE JESUS' NUMBERS AT FLAMENGO

Jorge Jesus achieved impressive numbers with Flamengo. In 58 games, the Mais Querido under his command achieved 44 wins, 10 draws and only four losses, an 81.6% success rate . Under his command, the Rubro-Negro won the following titles: Libertadores (2019), Brazilian Championship (2019), Brazilian Super Cup (2020), Recopa Sudamericana (2020) and Campeonato Carioca (2020).

With more trophies than defeats, Jorge Jesus made his mark at Flamengo, leading the team to its peak under the brilliance of the quartet formed by Gabigol, Arrascaeta, Everton Ribeiro and Bruno Henrique and still having his name on the lips of the red-black fans.

Flamengo takes to the field this Thursday (2), at 8:30 pm (Brasília time) , at Maracanã, to face Cruzeiro in a direct duel for the leadership of the Brazilian Championship. The match opens the 26th round of the competition and will have a full house, with tickets sold out.

After resting some players in the victory over Corinthians, coach Filipe Luís opted for a full-strength squad . Ayrton Lucas returns from suspension, while Matías Viña and Léo Pereira, cleared by the medical department, are available.

The Rubro-Negro formation for the match is: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Saúl and Arrascaeta; Gonzalo Plata, Samuel Lino and Carrascal.

DIRECT FIGHT FOR THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Flamengo leads the Brazilian Championship with 54 points, trailing Cruzeiro with 50 and Palmeiras, who beat Vasco 3-0 and have 52 points. The match at Maracanã is considered a "six-point" game , which could either increase or reduce the advantage at the top of the table.

GABIGOL'S REUNION WITH FLAMENGO

In addition to the battle for the top spot, the match marks Gabigol's reunion with his former club. Currently at Cruzeiro, the striker will face the Flamengo fans, who idolized him during his time at the club between 2019 and 2024. Gabigol left Flamengo after a year of ups and downs, ending a run full of goals, titles, and a strong connection with the club.