With 2 Flamengo players, Ancelotti praises Brazil's defensive security after draw

Flamengo and Vitória take to the field this Monday (25), at 9 pm (Brasília time) , at Maracanã, for the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will be broadcast live on Sportv and Premiere channels , ensuring wide coverage for fans.

A large crowd is expected at the stadium. Buoyed by their good form and their U-20 World Cup victory last Saturday, the red-and-blacks are promising to pack the stands. As of Monday morning, around 40,000 tickets had already been sold , with an expected attendance of over 50,000.

ISOLATED LEADER OF THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Flamengo comes into the match on a high after securing a spot in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals by eliminating Internacional. In the Brasileirão, the team has 43 points and sits atop the competition , two points ahead of second-place Cruzeiro, who won their match last Saturday to reach 41 points.

For this round, the team will be without Erick Pulgar, who is still recovering from surgery on his right foot. The midfielder is the only absence confirmed by coach Filipe Luís , who is expected to maintain the core of the starting lineup.

VICTORY FACES PRESSURE

Vitória is going through a difficult time in the league. Under Fábio Carille's leadership, the team hasn't won in five matches and entered the relegation zone in the last round. In their last match, despite leading 2-0 against Juventude, they ended up conceding a draw at home.

CHECK OUT EVERYTHING ABOUT THE MATCH

📆 Date and time: Monday, August 25th, at 9:00 PM (Brasília time)

📍 Location: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro

📺 Broadcast: Sportv and Premiere

🟨 Referee: Luis Fernandes de Lima (MG)

🚩 Assistants: Felipe Alan Costa de Oliveira (MG) and Leonardo Henrique Pereira (MG)

🖥️ VAR: Marco Aurélio Augusto Fazekas Ferreira (MG)

FLAMENGO X VITÓRIA LINEUPS

FLAMENGO (Coach: Filipe Luis): Rossi; Varela (Royal), Leo Ortiz (Danilo), Leo Pereira, Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Saul, Arrascaeta, Plata (Luiz Araujo), Samuel Lino and Pedro.

VICTORY (Coach: Fabio Carille): Lucas Arcanjo; Lucas Braga (Edu), Lucas Halter, Ze Marcos and Ramon; Ricardo Ryller (Willian Oliveira), Pepê and Ronald (Aitor Cantalapiedra); Erick, Osvaldo and Renato Kayzer.

Protagonist in Flamengo's U-20 world championship , won last Saturday (23), defender Iago entered the radar of European clubs. According to information from the “GE” portal, teams such as Everton and Brentford, from England , as well as Club Brugge, from Belgium, carried out inquiries for the player.

Despite the interest, none of these teams have formalized an offer. The only concrete offer received so far came from Bahia, at the request of coach Rogério Ceni. The northeastern club submitted a proposal of €2 million (approximately R$12.8 million) , in addition to offering a 20% stake in a future sale. Bahia, however, declined the offer and reiterated that Iago is not available for negotiations.

HOW IAGO BECAME PROMINENT

Iago was decisive in the final against Barcelona (ESP) at the Maracanã Stadium. Mengão was trailing 2-1 and the title seemed to be slipping away, until, in the final minutes, Daniel Sales sent a long ball into the box. The ball found Iago's head, which he lobbed over the goalkeeper, taking the decision to penalties , where the Rio de Janeiro team secured the title.

At 20, Iago still has important commitments in the U-20 category before a possible transition to the main squad. In 2025, he will compete in the U-20 Carioca Championship and the U-20 Copa do Brasil. His successful career includes titles such as the U-17 Copa do Brasil, the U-17 Supercopa do Brasil, the U-20 Brazilian Championship, the U-20 South American Championship, and two U-20 Libertadores titles.

FLAMENGO PLANS TO EXPAND PARTICIPATION

The defender's current contract runs until December 2026, and Flamengo is expected to renew his contract to keep him in the long-term project . However, the situation is being monitored by Volta Redonda, the club that developed Iago in the U-15s and still holds 40% of his economic rights. Currently, Flamengo owns 60% and is considering acquiring an additional 10% for approximately R$500,000.

Flamengo expressed strong dissatisfaction with the recent change in the Brazilian Championship calendar, promoted by the CBF. The measure, which brings forward the final round of the competition, was classified by the club's board as a "turnaround," according to journalist Bernardo Ramos. In the club's view, the change directly benefits its title contenders, especially Cruzeiro.

Flamengo's main complaint is the anticipation of the last round of the Brasileirão , rescheduled from December 21st to December 7th. The decision reduces the period scheduled for rest and training by two weeks , something considered detrimental to a team that is still simultaneously fighting for the national title, the Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.

FLAMENGO MUST ISSUE NOTE

According to Bernardo Ramos, the Rio de Janeiro club will formally express its dissatisfaction with the Brazilian Football Confederation. An official statement is expected to be published in the coming days , directly citing competition director Júlio Avelar and the organization's president, Samir Xaud, as responsible for the controversial decision.

CBF CLAIMS NEED FOR ADJUSTMENTS

According to the investigation, the CBF justified the advance based on the elimination of Flamengo, Palmeiras and São Paulo in the Copa do Brasil, as the three clubs are the only Brazilian clubs remaining in the Libertadores.

However, if either of them wins the continental competition, the new date for the final round of the Brasileirão will leave a minimum gap before the Club World Cup debut. The tournament's semifinal is scheduled for December 10 against Cruz Azul-MEX , should the team advance.

The change reignites debates about the governance of Brazilian football and the relationship between clubs and the governing body . Although the CBF argues that the measure seeks to adjust the calendar, experts point out that it could directly affect the competitiveness and balance of the championship's final stretch.