Cruzeiro will have absences and have players hanging against Flamengo

Flamengo could take to the field with a different formation to face Estudiantes this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), for the CONMEBOL Libertadores. The duel, decisive for the club's ambitions in the continental competition , will be broadcast live on Disney+.

Up front, Bruno Henrique is recovered and available to play, expanding coach Filipe Luís's offensive options. Plata and Luiz Araújo are also options at wing. Léo Ortiz returns to the defensive system after missing the match against Juventude.

A possible Flamengo lineup for Thursday has: Rossi; Emerson Royal (or Varela), Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas (or Viña); Allan (or De La Cruz), Saúl and Arrascaeta; Plata, Pedro (or Bruno Henrique) and Samuel Lino.

JORGINHO IS A MISSING PARTY IN THE TEAM

According to information gathered, the club's coaching staff is likely to opt for midfielder Jorginho, who is recovering from a muscle edema. Although he is fit to play, the club does not want to risk losing him for an extended period.

MIDFIELD OPTIONS

Without Jorginho, coach Filipe Luís is evaluating the best alternatives for the position. De La Cruz and Saúl are the main candidates to form a partnership with Saúl in midfield . The coach will lead the final training session before the match on Wednesday (17) to determine his replacement.

Another confirmed absence is left-back Alex Sandro, who is nursing a calf injury and will be unfit to play. Ayrton Lucas and Matías Viña are competing for the starting spot on the left wing.

Conmebol announced this Tuesday (16) an important new development for the quarterfinal stage of the Libertadores . From this stage onwards, the main referee will immediately communicate his decision to the entire public present at the stadium , ensuring greater transparency in the arbitration process.

This measure has already been used in the organization's competitions. In the 2024 Recopa Sudamericana, for example, the rule was applied experimentally . Now, it officially returns for the decisive matches of the Copa Libertadores.

FLAMENGO X ESTUDIANTES – FIRST GAME

The first duel between Flamengo and Estudiantes takes place this Thursday (18), at Maracanã, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time). The stadium will have a full house: All tickets were sold in advance , guaranteeing an estimated audience of around 69 thousand people.

RETURN GAME IN ARGENTINA

The return leg is scheduled for September 25th in La Plata, Argentina, also at 9:30 pm (Brasília time). It will be broadcast on ESPN (pay TV) and Disney+ (streaming) . Fans can stay up to date with all the details of the match at Gazeta do Urubu.

ARBITRATION

• Referee: Andrés Rojas (COL)
• Assistants: Alexander Guzman and John León (COL)
• 4th referee: John Ospina (COL)
• VAR: Nicolas Gallo (COL)
• VAR Assistant: David Rodriguez (COL)

This Tuesday (16), journalist André Rizek participated in the Charla Podcast and once again gained prominence on social media when talking about Flamengo. Questioned by Bruno Cantarelli about the way the press treats the club , the SporTV presenter pointed out what he considers a “bad habit” of the red-black fan.

André Rizek: "Flamengo has a noble treatment"

According to Rizek, over the years, the media has created a culture in which the spotlight focuses on Flamengo , while rivals with similar achievements don't receive the same recognition. This behavior, he says, has accustomed fans to always expecting "noble treatment."

"When I came to live in Rio de Janeiro in 2010, my first shock was the media coverage. The first thing I noticed was that Flamengo gets a noble treatment. For example, if Flamengo wins the Guanabara Cup: 'Guanabara belongs to Mengão!' Then Botafogo wins the State Championship: 'Botafogo wins an empty State Championship.' Wait, something's different," said the journalist.

“FLACENTRISM” AND THE ROLE OF THE PRESS

Rizek also cited recent examples to illustrate his point. According to him, any praise given to players from other clubs invariably generates comparisons with Flamengo , as when he praised Jhon Arias when he was still a Fluminense player.

"I said that Jhon Arias was, in my opinion, the best and most complete player active in Brazil. 'But what about Arrasca?' I wasn't talking about Flamengo, I was talking about Arias. You can't praise anything outside of Flamengo. A media culture has been created in Brazil that says: 'To Flamengo, everything; to others, beatings, mockery, belittling, and disrespect.' Flamengo is the most popular club in Brazil, a very powerful brand . But the others also need to be treated with respect," he added.

PROTAGONISM IN THE MEDIA

Despite the criticism, it's worth noting that part of this impact also stems from the engagement of rival fans, a phenomenon dubbed "Flacentrism" by the nation. Since 2019, any prominent team in Brazilian football has been compared to Jorge Jesus' historic team , such as Botafogo in 2024 or Abel Ferreira's Palmeiras. The same goes for players: every prominent number 10 in the country ends up being measured against Arrascaeta.

Because of its successful history and the strength of its fans, Flamengo tends to maintain a privileged position in the media . However, how this prominence is constructed is also influenced by the behavior of fans of other teams.