Climbing! Flamengo discloses the 11 holders for the Carioca semifinal against Vasco

Leader of the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (03) to face Ceará, away from home, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Castelão. The team led by Filipe Luís seeks to maintain the top of the table , but will have to deal with important absences for the match of the 18th round.

IMPORTANT RETURNS IN THE FLAMENGO LINEUP

Meanwhile, Filipe Luís will have some players back who were rested for the Copa do Brasil clash against Atlético-MG. Arrascaeta, who wasn't even included in the squad, and Jorginho, who didn't make the bench, will return to the starting lineup this Sunday. Therefore, Flamengo 's likely starting lineup to face Ceará is : Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Ayrton Lucas (Alex Sandro); Allan, Jorginho, and Arrascaeta; Bruno Henrique, Samuel Lino, and Gonzalo Plata.

The coach also has some solid options on the bench. Juninho could appear in attack, while Matheus Gonçalves, who started in the last game, could return to midfield . In defense, Uruguayan Viña remains an alternative, and Spaniard Saúl Ñíguez, who made a strong debut against Galo, is also among those named.

EMBARRASSMENTS

Among the absentees are Danilo, who remains off the roster, and Luiz Araújo, who was left out due to fitness monitoring . Erick Pulgar, still recovering from an injury, is also out, as are Pedro and Wallace Yan, both suspended. Another absence is goalkeeper Matheus Cunha, diagnosed with patellar tendonitis in his left knee.

THE GAME

The clash between Flamengo and Ceará for the 18th round of the Brasileirão is this Sunday (3) at 6:30 pm (Brasília time) at Arena Castelão, in Fortaleza. The match will be broadcast by Record, on Open TV, by CazéTV, on YouTube, and by Premiere , on pay-per-view.

After a promising and praised debut , right-back Wesley, formerly of Flamengo, received his first criticism in Italy . This Saturday (02), after starting for Roma in the 2-0 victory over Lens, in a pre-season friendly, the 21-year-old was the target of negative comments from the newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

Corriere dello Sport on Wesley, ex-Flamengo: "he's not yet the prodigy full-back"

Wesley played 71 minutes in the match and, despite participating actively, was given a 5.5 rating by the publication. The newspaper questioned whether his performance justified Roma's significant investment of €25 million (approximately R$160 million): "They said he would arrive in top form, as he had been playing in Brazil. But Wesley is not yet the prodigious full-back Roma invested €25 million in ," wrote the sports daily.

NEWSPAPER SEES POTENTIAL, BUT EXPECTED MORE

Despite its critical tone, Corriere dello Sport acknowledged that it was too early to make a definitive judgment. " We're only in August football ," the publication mused, referring to the preseason. However, it emphasized that "the spark everyone was hoping for hasn't yet appeared" in the first two tests.

On the other hand, the newspaper highlighted the player's offensive potential and left a sign of optimism: " When he advances, Wesley continues to show an untapped potential that, if well worked, can turn into dynamite."

FEATURED IN THE PREMIERE

The review contrasts with the assessment made by the same outlet after the full-back's debut in the 3-0 victory over Cannes. On that occasion, Wesley came on in the second half and was described as "the most anticipated player," receiving praise for his dedication on the field: "He runs, runs, and runs some more. Up and down without stopping. He drew applause from the fans," the newspaper wrote after the first game.

FANS APPROVE WESLEY'S PERFORMANCE

While the press is cautious, Roma fans are excited about the Brazilian full-back, formerly of Flamengo . On social media, several fans praised his speed, strength, and chemistry with midfielder Soulé:

“Half an hour of Lens vs Roma and I can say that Wesley is probably the best right-back in the world due to his compatibility with Soulé,” wrote one fan.

"If Soulé understands how to pass the ball at the right time to Wesley, Roma will be very successful . Wesley is extremely fast and strong," commented another.

Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Ceará, in the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship. On the other side, the Ceará team will have a full house at Arena Castelão, and expectations in the squad are high. In a press conference this Friday (01), striker Pedro Henrique praised the support of the fans and revealed the atmosphere of confidence in the locker room.

Pedro Henrique on Castelão being packed for Ceará vs Flamengo: "This fan mobilization is nothing new"

"The anticipation for the game is very high. This fan mobilization is nothing new for me or the squad. It's a reflection of the work we've been doing since last year . Who knows, maybe it's time to reap the rewards. We beat Cruzeiro away from home and now we have another big challenge: Flamengo . With a full stadium, I hope we can achieve a good result," said the striker.

CEARÁ COMES UP CHARGED BY AWAY VICTORY

Ceará arrives motivated for the clash against the Brasileirão leader. In the last round, the team defeated Cruzeiro 2-1, coming from behind , at Mineirão Stadium in Belo Horizonte. The result moved Ceará up to ninth place with 21 points and reinforced the fans' optimism for this Sunday's match.

FLAMENGO LEADS THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Ceará's victory over Cruzeiro was also beneficial for Flamengo , which retook the championship lead with a 1-0 victory over Atlético-MG , thanks to a goal from Léo Ortiz, at the Maracanã. Flamengo heads into this round with 36 points and faces another important test away from home to maintain its top spot.

WHERE TO WATCH CEARÁ X FLAMENGO?

The match between Ceará and Flamengo will be broadcast on free-to-air television on Record TV, on YouTube via CazéTV, and also on Premiere via pay-per-view. Kick-off is at 6:30 PM at Arena Castelão. Coach Filipe Luís will field a full complement of players, ensuring the Brasileirão remains a priority over the Copa do Brasil.