MESSED AND IN THE LANTERN! SEE HOW FLUMINENSE GETS TO THE CLASSIC AGAINST FLAMENGO

Flamengo had little time to celebrate the victory over Bahia and now needs to focus on the classic against Fluminense, this Sunday (23), at Maracanã, at 4pm, for the 11th round of the Brasileirão. Leader, Mengão arrives with high morale due to the positive results with a missing team, they want an advantage at the top and still have the chance to sink their rival even further into the bottom.

Flamengo leads the Brasileirão with 21 points, while Fluminense is experiencing a crisis. The team could open up a three to four point lead if Botafogo and Palmeiras stumble, tied with 20 points in second place. Fluminense is going through a major crisis and has just six points in last place.

The team led by Fernando Diniz has just one win, three draws and six defeats in the competition. There have been 10 goals scored and 18 conceded so far, which represents an average of one goal scored and 1.8 goals conceded per game. No wonder the coach is under greater pressure since taking over the team in 2022.

The only victory came in the third round in the classic against Vasco. Therefore, they are from the fourth to the 10th round without winning, with four defeats and three draws. Of these four setbacks, three were in sequence in the last rounds: 1-0 for Botafogo, 2-1 for Atlético-GO and 2-0 for Cruzeiro.

If in 2023 he managed to win football to become champion of the Libertadores, Fluminense's 2024 on the field is the opposite. The team still tries to emulate the ideas of ball possession, approach and short passes from Fernando Diniz's defense, but the much lower performance increases the tone of criticism and demands for changes.

The coach, on the other hand , guarantees that the debate was part of his entire career as a coach and will not change at this moment.

Scenario that makes Flamengo very favorite for the game and could make the rival's crisis, which already seems big, go to an even higher level. A defeat to Mengão, depending on how it plays out on the field, and a possible three-point disadvantage in the bottom position would certainly increase the pressure.

To keep an eye on: Cano and John Kennedy

Fluminense's player numbers explain the team's very bad year. The top scorer is midfielder Jhon Arias, who has seven goals and is missing from the Copa América. Second top scorer is Lelê, who is injured and hasn't played since the beginning of April.

That leaves Cano and John Kennedy fighting for the starting spot and trying to take on the goalscoring role at this troubled time. The phase of both is not good, but the red and black defense needs to pay attention. One of the two will probably start playing, or maybe even both, and the offensive plays will certainly be looking for the athletes.

Germán Cano scored five goals in 2024, while John Kennedy has four. But it is worth highlighting that the Argentine played 2,004 minutes and the 22-year-old striker less than half: 846. On the other hand, the young man did not score in the Brasileirão.

Probable lineup for Fluminense against Flamengo< /b>