Ceará x Flamengo: Follow the 18th round of the Brasileirão live (WITH IMAGES)

This Sunday (5), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), Flamengo has an important challenge in the fight for the leadership of the Brazilian Championship. The Most Beloved faces Bahia , at Arena Fonte Nova, for the 27th round of the competition. Despite the opponent being the third best home team in the tournament, the historical record and tactical reading indicate good paths for Filipe Luís' team to leave Salvador with the three points.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Coach Filipe Luís should send onto the field a Flamengo team with: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Danilo and Ayrton Lucas; De La Cruz (Allan), Jorginho and Arrascaeta; Plata (Carrascal), Samuel Lino (Everton Cebolinha) and Pedro (Bruno Henrique).

On the other side, Bahia , led by Rogério Ceni, faces a series of absences, 13 in total, and will need to find alternatives to form the team . The likely lineup has: Ronaldo; Gilberto, David Duarte (Fredi), Rezende and Zé Guilherme; Acevedo, Jean Lucas and Everton Ribeiro; Kayky, Iago Borduchi (Michel Araujo, Tiago or Cauly) and Willian José.

WHERE TO WATCH

The match between Bahia and Flamengo will be played this Sunday (05), at 6:30 pm, at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador . The match will be broadcast exclusively by Premiere (pay-per-view). The referee will be Rodrigo Lima (PE).

FAVORABLE RETROSPECT FOR MENGÃO

Flamengo can rely on a largely favorable history in this match. Playing at Fonte Nova has been a positive experience for Flamengo : since 2006, in 11 matches hosted by Bahia, Flamengo has won six (55%), drawn two, and lost three.

In recent matches, their dominance is even clearer: five wins, one draw, and only one loss in their last seven games . This record reinforces the Rio de Janeiro team's optimism for another decisive round in their quest for the Brasileirão title.

Left-back Matías Viña has been on a tear at Flamengo in recent weeks. With the experienced Alex Sandro a regular starter, the Uruguayan has lost his place in the squad rotation and seen his playing time decrease. Before that, Viña was already competing directly with Ayrton Lucas for the position , but a recent injury has only made the competition worse.

Behind the scenes, the player's name was mentioned in speculation about possible departures in the next transfer window. However, the situation has changed , and an internal shake-up could ensure his continued presence at the club .

ALEX SANDRO MAY CHANGE POSITION

According to journalist Fabrício Lopes, the trend within Gávea is for Alex Sandro to play primarily as a center-back , once again opening up space for Viña and Ayrton Lucas at left-back. With this change, the Uruguayan should once again be used more by Filipe Luís, especially in games that require greater defensive solidity. Therefore, the Uruguayan is unlikely to be traded and will remain in the red-and-black squad for the remainder of the season.

TOTAL FOCUS ON THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (5), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Bahia, at Arena Fonte Nova, in a duel valid for the 27th round of the Brasileirão . The team led by Filipe Luís seeks to maintain the leadership of the competition and increase the advantage over direct competitors.

SITUATION IN THE TABLE

Flamengo currently sits first in the Brazilian Championship with 55 points, followed by Palmeiras (52 points), Cruzeiro (51) and Botafogo (43). A victory away from home in Salvador would be another important step in the fight for the Série A title.

Leader of the Brasileirão and semifinalist of the Copa Libertadores, Flamengo is not limited to just competing for the 2025 titles. The red-black board is already planning the next season and working on two fronts: important renewals and specific reinforcements to keep the squad at a high level, in addition to dealing with the pressure on important players, such as Léo Ortiz .

ENGLISH INTEREST IN LÉO ORTIZ

According to journalist Fabrício Lopes, English clubs are watching defender Léo Ortiz, and Nottingham Forest has expressed formal interest . Despite this, the defender isn't convinced that leaving Flamengo for a lesser-known club would be advantageous at this time. Internally, the Rio de Janeiro club also has no intention of facilitating a possible exit.

FLAMENGO'S CONTRACT AND POSITIONING

With a contract until the end of 2028, Léo Ortiz is seen as a key player in the Flamengo defense. Behind the scenes, Flamengo has made it clear that it will only open negotiations for a sum considered very high , capable of enabling the signing of a replacement of the same level—or higher.

Fabrício Lopes on the search for Léo Ortiz, from Flamengo: "Nottingham Forest made an inquiry for the red-black defender"

"Nottingham Forest made an enquiry about the Flamengo defender, but Flamengo 's internal order is to renew with everyone who can leave and only negotiate players preferably abroad . And for a value that allows Flamengo to replace at a level or even better," revealed Fabrício Lopes.

BLOCKED NEGOTIATION AND RENEWAL PLANS

In September, the club rejected a proposal of approximately R$114.5 million from a Turkish team. The offer was promptly rejected, reinforcing the board's firm stance on maintaining the main squad . In addition to Ortiz, Flamengo is also working to renew the contracts of Léo Pereira and Pedro, shielding the group from European pressure. The strategy includes salary increases and contract extensions to ensure security in future transfer windows.

PLAYER'S VIEW

Léo Ortiz, for his part, is cautiously evaluating any move. The defender fears losing visibility for the Brazilian national team if he moves to a lesser-known club before the 2026 World Cup . Therefore, the player believes that remaining with Flamengo, the national leader and a continental standout, is the safest way to stay on Italian Carlo Ancelotti's radar and maintain a high level of competition.

CLUB PRIORITIES

Among the priorities are the renewals of Filipe Luís and Arrascaeta, in addition to maintaining the starting lineup. At the same time, the club is keeping Lazio striker Taty Castellanos on its radar as a target for the attack in January. The Argentine's agents are already negotiating his exit from the Italian club.