WITH A GOAL AGAINST ATLÉTICO-GO, ARRASCAETA BECOMES FLAMENGO’S SECOND LEADING FOREIGN GUNNER

Atlético-MG and Flamengo face each other again this Wednesday (6) , for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The duel will take place at Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte, at 7 pm (Brasília time) , with broadcast by SporTV and Premiere. In the first match, held at Maracanã, Galo won 1-0 and plays for a draw to guarantee classification.

Before the decisive clash, striker Hulk was full of praise for his opponent. In an interview, the Minas Gerais number 7 called the "Mais Querido" (Most Beloved) the best team in the country. " When you have an important game like this, which is the Copa do Brasil, against the best team in the country , there's no greater motivation. (...) When you face the best, you want to beat the best," the player declared.

Hulk admits: "Flamengo is the best team in Brazil"

The experienced athlete also highlighted the Rio de Janeiro team's performance on the pitch. "In my humble opinion, Flamengo is the best team in Brazil. (...) A team that plays very well. And we're going to do a great job collectively so that, God willing, we can qualify," Hulk added.

SCENARIO OF THE ROUND OF 16 OF THE BRAZIL CUP

To advance to the quarterfinals, Flamengo needs to win by two or more goals. If they win by one goal, the match goes to penalties. Any draw favors the Minas Gerais club. Filipe Luís's team will have to find its way back to victory after two games without a win.

FLAMENGO MAY HAVE SHORTAGES

Flamengo may have a major problem for the decisive clash against Atlético-MG. Arrascaeta, who scored the equalizer in the 1-1 draw against Ceará last Sunday (3), at Castelão, felt discomfort in his left thigh and left the pitch at half-time in the match, valid for the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship.

Last Saturday (02), Flamengo officially signed Colombian midfielder Jorge Carrascal as the fourth reinforcement of the current transfer window. The player has already undergone medical examinations, signed a four-year contract and was presented this Monday (04), in a press conference at Ninho do Urubu. Carrascal will wear the number 15 shirt and arrives as an option for Mengão's midfield.

To secure the 26-year-old's talent, the Rubro-Negro paid €12 million, equivalent to approximately R$77.1 million. The negotiation involved Dynamo Moscow and also involved Atlético-MG, due to the parallel sale of Rubens, which contributed to the delay in the process of releasing the documents.

Despite already being integrated into the squad and physically fit, Jorge Carrascal is still awaiting his name to be published in the CBF's Daily Information Bulletin (BID). Regularization is essential for the midfielder to officially debut for the Mais Querido . The coaching staff, led by Filipe Luís, is already evaluating his fitness to use him once he's fit.

PREMIERE EXPECTATION

Internally, there is optimism that Carrascal will be available on Saturday (09), when Mengão faces Mirassol in the Brazilian Championship. If the regularization happens by then, the Colombian will be able to play alongside Arrascaeta and reinforce the team's creative sector, increasing the coach's offensive options.

FLAMENGO FACES ATLÉTICO-MG

While finalizing the bureaucratic procedures of the hiring, Flamengo turns its attention to the decisive game against Atlético-MG this Wednesday (06), at 7 pm, at Maracanã, for the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The duel will be broadcast by SporTV and Premiere , and promises strong emotions for the red-black fans.

On Sunday night (4), Ceará and Flamengo faced each other in a match valid for the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship, at Arena Castelão. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals from Arrascaeta, for the Rio de Janeiro team, and Pedro Raul, for the home team.

Despite the setback, Flamengo remains top of the competition , even with a game in hand over its main competitors. The result, however, reduced the advantage over the second-place team, which puts the team on alert for the rest of the season.

FILIPE LUÍS HIGHLIGHTS ENGAGEMENT

In a press conference after the draw, coach Filipe Luís evaluated the team's performance and highlighted the difficult schedule and the adaptation process of recent reinforcements: " If I'm not mistaken, there were nine shots in the first half. We had the ball, chances, shots, arrivals in the opponent's area and we had a great first half," he said before concluding.

"It's true that we have new signings. It's an extraordinary window for the club, and some players arrived without having had training time with the team they were already playing. Some were on vacation. Today, Lino played 90 minutes. I don't know if he was right for it, but he'll adapt, and he's already adapted quickly to our style of play," analyzed Filipe Luís.

POOR PERFORMANCE AGAINST ATLÉTICO-MG

Flamengo 's coach also commented on the below-average performance in the recent defeat to Atlético-MG, in the Copa do Brasil: "The subpar performance against Galo was largely their merit. They caused us difficulties . The team ended up inside their own box, due to the result. Games after three days, the team feels it. Even though some players didn't play", analyzed the coach.

Filipe Luís comments on Flamengo's poor form: "I believe it's largely due to the timing of the game"

"I don't think it's a physical problem. I think we're all in the same situation because of the schedule. I think it's largely due to the timing of the game, the fans' support, which made it difficult for us to occupy spaces. We ended up giving the opponent a chance, which was a corner kick. The team was defending our area quite well. We'll continue working and improving," concluded the coach.