IN SEARCH OF FIRST PLACE! PEDRO OVERTAKES BRUNO HENRIQUE IN FLAMENGO'S ARTILLERY AT LIBERTADORES

On his debut for Flamengo< /a>, Alex Sandro presented solid and consistent numbers, which illustrate his ability to quickly adapt to the team. In a match where his presence was important for the defense and offensive transition, the player brought balance and efficiency, standing out in several individual statistics.

Alex Sandro contributed significantly to the defensive sector. He made two cuts, an essential action to prevent opposing plays and guarantee the security of the defense. Furthermore, the full-back was responsible for two tackles, one of the most direct actions to regain possession of the ball and neutralize the opponent's attack. Completing his defensive participation, Alex Sandro also made an interception, which shows his reading of the game and ability to predict the opponent's intentions.

These numbers show that Alex Sandro was attentive and effective in protecting the defensive area, something that will certainly be valued by the coaching staff and the fans, who expect a lateralsafe and reliable. Alex Sandro's passing accuracy was one of the highlights of his performance. The full-back completed 60 of 61 attempted passes, resulting in an impressive 98% accuracy rate. This shows that he not only had a considerable amount of participation in the plays, but was also extremely effective when executing the passes, ensuring fluidity and security in the circulation of the ball.

In addition, Alex Sandro made two decisive passes during the match, indicating that he not only limited himself to playing safely, but also sought to contribute offensively, being a creative option in attack. These passes demonstrate his ability to help create dangerous plays, something very valuable for a full-back whose role is to support both defense and attack.

After the 1-1 draw between Flamengo e Vasco, Tite took more than an hour to attend the post-game press conference, leaving journalists and fans curious about the reason for the wait. When finally starting the press conference, Flamengo's coach explained that the delay was a consequence of a need to process the result and balance his emotions.

According to Tite, the red-black team's performance during the classic was positive, but the score it didn't reflect what he expected from the game. "My delay was precisely to assimilate the team's great performance, but the lack of results", stated the coach. He highlighted that he was visibly uncomfortable with the draw, which led him to seek calm before talking to the press: "I was upset, that's why it took me so long to come. I have to balance myself to talk to you."

This is not the first time that Tite admits to needing time to control his emotions after matches that do not bring the expected result. The coach, known for his meticulousness, tends to be thoughtful in his statements, avoiding making hasty analyzes right after games, when emotions are still running high.

The draw in the classic between Flamengoand Vasco was particularly frustrating for Tite, who hoped to leave with the three points. Despite recognizing the team's good performance on the field, the final result was not what was desired, generating frustration not only for him, but also among the fans, who had high expectations for the match.

After the break due to the FIFA Date, Flamengo returns to the pitch this Thursday (12) to face Bahia, in a match valid for the second leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil. For the duel, Rubro-Negro will have Gabigol, who is recovered from injury and available for the match. With Pedro out of the season, the expectation is that the number 99 will take on the role of main reference in the team's attack.

Gabigol has impressive numbers in the Copa do Brasil, a tournament in which Flamengo is four-time champion. In 57 matches played in the competition, Gabriel Barbosa has already found the net 30 times. The striker was champion in 2022 and top scorer of the tournament on three occasions (2014, 2015 and 2018), all when he was still playing for Santos.

Among active players, Gabi is the highest scorer in the history of the World Cup from Brazil. In the general ranking, he occupies third place among the competition's top scorers. Check out the top 10:

1. Fred: 37 goals (56 games)

2. Romário: 36 goals (46 games)

3. Gabigol: 30 goals (57 games)

4. Viola: 29 goals (44 games)

5. Oséas: 28 goals (53 games)

6. Paulo Nunes: 28 goals (58 games)

7. Dodô: 26 goals (55 games)

8. Léo Gamalho: 25 goals (39 games)

9. Luís Fabiano: 25 goals (37 games)

10. Evair: 24 goals (36 games)

In addition to his prominence in the Copa do Brasil, Gabigol shines even brighter in the Copa Libertadores. He is the greatest Brazilian goalscorer in the history of the continental competition. In 58 matches, the striker scored 31 goals, including all of Flamengo's goals in the last three tournament finals. Gabi was responsible for the two goals of the historic turnaround in 2019, he scored in the defeat to Palmeiras in 2021 and scored the decisive goal in 2022, which gave Rubro-Negro their third title against Athletico-PR.

Since 2019, Gabigol is also the player who scored the most goals in the Brasileirão, with 69 goals. His Flamengo teammate, Pedro, occupies second place, with 60 goals in the same period.

With Gabigol's return, will he continue to write another chapter in his success story for Flamengo? The answer will begin to be given this Thursday, at 9:45 pm, at Maracanã.