"Back home", Rodrigo Caio celebrates his return to Flamengo

Flamengo ended, this Friday (8), at Ninho do Urubu, the preparation for the duel against Mirassol , scheduled for this Saturday, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. The match is valid for the last round of the first round of the Brazilian Championship .

CHECK OUT THE PROBABLE LINEUP

Coach Filipe Luís should send onto the field a Flamengo with: Rossi; Royal, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Allan, Evertton Araújo and Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo (Plata), Pedro (Bruno Henrique) and Samuel Lino.

IMPORTANT RETURNS

Coach Filipe Luís will be without Jorginho, suspended for his third yellow card. However, he will have important reinforcements . Luiz Araújo and Bruno Henrique, who were on training due to pain and fatigue, trained normally in recent days and are available again. The former competes for a spot with Plata, while the latter can play as a false nine.

Another return is Michael, who has recovered from a left ankle injury but is expected to start on the bench. Midfielder Carrascal, the latest addition to the squad, could also make his debut, likely coming on in the second half .

ABSENCE CAUSES DOUBT

For Jorginho's spot, Allan and Evertton Araújo are expected to form the defensive midfield duo . Varela, who previously played as a makeshift midfielder under Filipe Luís, is a potential outsider. Pulgar, De la Cruz, and Danilo remain in the injury department.

Flamengo, the leader of the Brasileirão with 37 points, has the same number of points as second-place Cruzeiro , but has played a game less. Mirassol, meanwhile, is the surprise package: it sits in fifth place with 28 points, just one point behind Bahia, which rounds out the top four.

Eliminated from the Copa do Brasil last Wednesday (6), after losing on penalties to Atlético-MG in Belo Horizonte, Flamengo was once again the target of criticism. Among them, that of former coach Joel Santana, who questioned Filipe Luís's decisions in command of the team.

Joel Santana on Flamengo's Filipe Luís: "Football is a serious thing, it's not a joke"

"Football is a serious matter, it's not a joke. Flamengo played around in the first game at Maracanã . They gave the guys hope, and look what happened. Atlético isn't stupid," said Joel in a video posted on YouTube this Friday (8). The former manager also demanded more attention from the red-black coach:

"I don't know what's going through Flamengo 's coach's head. Competition is competition, and it's a résumé. It doesn't work in the Libertadores and the Brasileirão; we'll see what happens . The fans are already irritated by the fluctuations and changes being made. Pay attention: I worked at Flamengo four or five times, and it wasn't for nothing. Football doesn't tolerate insults," he concluded.

CONTEXT OF ELIMINATION

Flamengo beat Atlético-MG 1-0 in Belo Horizonte, but lost on penalties and fell in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil . Some of the criticism from the fans focused on Filipe Luís' lack of tactical variations.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

The red-black team returns to the field this Saturday (9), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Mirassol at Maracanã , for the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will be broadcast exclusively by Premiere (pay-per-view) for all of Brazil.

A recent idol and protagonist of historic moments, Gabigol said goodbye to Flamengo at the end of 2024. Rodolfo Landim's management chose not to renew the former number 99's contract , a decision that the former president himself explained in an interview with Penido's Podcast.

Landim on Gabigol's renewal at Flamengo: "It didn't make sense to sign a contract for another five years"

"Do you think Flamengo could have kept Gabigol? Man, that's a tough question for someone who had the power to do it. Gabigol is an idol to me and to all Flamengo fans . He will remain in the history books. What he did for Flamengo will be remembered forever," Landim stated, before adding:

"The results we had in 2023 and 2024 didn't make sense to sign a contract for another five years, which was the length he wanted. A lower amount would be fine, but it was a lot of money. He's still a young and valuable player, but the club needs to manage its finances responsibly. We need to consider the total cost, not just the salary, and ensure the decision is sustainable for Flamengo," he concluded.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLAMENGO AND GABIGOL

Gabigol arrived at Flamengo in January 2019, on loan from Inter Milan (ITA), and had a memorable year: he scored the goals in the Libertadores Cup title and was a key player in the club's seventh Brazilian championship . In 2020, the club acquired his rights outright for R$79 million.

In six seasons wearing the Sacred Mantle, the striker played 306 games, scored 161 goals , gave 43 assists and won: two Libertadores, two Brasileiros, two Copa do Brasil, two Supercopas do Brasil, one Recopa Sudamericana and four Cariocas.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT GAME

While Gabigol begins his career at Cruzeiro, Flamengo turns its attention to the Brasileirão . This Saturday (9), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), the team faces Mirassol at Maracanã, in the 19th round. Mengão aims for victory to remain at the top of the competition.