Former Flamengo player and standout at German club appears wearing the Sacred Mantle

After the 0-0 draw between Flamengo and Cruzeiro , this Thursday (2), at Maracanã, Léo Ortiz denied that the result was related to the team's drop in intensity. The defender highlighted that, in his view, Rubro-Negro was better precisely in the second half .

WHAT LEO ORTIZ SAID

Léo Ortiz on Flamengo's intensity: "It doesn't have much to do with intensity. There was no shortage of that"

"Sorry, I disagree. I think we had more possession in the second half . Maybe at some point in the middle they had a little more control, and it became a very exchangeable game," the defender declared.

"The first half was also similar. I don't think it had much to do with intensity . There was no shortage of that. We pressed from the first minute to the last," concluded Léo Ortiz , in the mixed zone after the match against Cruzeiro.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

Flamengo and Cruzeiro played a high-level duel, marked by intensity but lacking in scoring . Cruzeiro had two good chances to seal the victory, but couldn't find the net.

CLASSIFICATION

With the draw, Flamengo reached 55 points and maintained the lead in the Brasileirão, three ahead of Palmeiras (52) and four above Cruzeiro (51), after 26 rounds . The Mais Querido has one game less in the competition, while the alviverde has two games left.

Flamengo drew 0-0 with Cruzeiro last Thursday (2), in the 26th round of the Brasileirão. With no time to rest, the red-black squad returned this Friday (3) afternoon , at Ninho do Urubu, to begin preparations for the duel against Bahia. Training begins at 3:30 pm (Brasília time), under the command of Filipe Luís.

HOW WAS THE GAME AGAINST CRUZEIRO

In a head-to-head clash at the top of the table, Flamengo and Cruzeiro played a tight match at the Maracanã. In the first half, the Minas Gerais team closed well, preventing any major scoring chances , and threatened the red-and-black team, which was saved by Rossi and Alex Sandro.

In the second half, after Filipe Luís's changes, Cruzeiro managed to create more opportunities, but failed to break down the opposing defense , with only two significant chances. Cruzeiro also barely threatened goalkeeper Rossi.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Flamengo returns to the field on Sunday (5), at 6:30 pm, against Bahia, at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador. The match is valid for the 27th round of the Brasileirão. The broadcast of the confrontation is on Premiere (pay-per-view) for all of Brazil .

SITUATION IN THE TABLE

Even with the draw, Flamengo remains top of the league with 55 points. Palmeiras is second with 52, but has played one game less than Flamengo , while Cruzeiro is third with 51.

Flamengo and Cruzeiro drew 0-0 this Thursday (2), at Maracanã, in the 26th round of the Brasileirão. Rubro-Negro had more possession and created opportunities, but failed to finish the plays. After the match, Jorginho highlighted the need for the team to better define the plays to avoid dangerous counterattacks from the opponent.

Jorginho on Flamengo vs. Cruzeiro: "We lacked a goal. We created chances, but didn't finish them off"

"I don't think it's a physical issue, because the team maintained intensity throughout the match. It's more about decision-making. When we break through the first line of pressure and space opens up, we need to define the play —with a shot or a cross. What we can't do is lose the ball at this point and allow another transition, because the team is exposed. That's where we can improve," analyzed the midfielder.

WHAT WAS MISSING IN FLAMENGO?

With 62% possession, 15 shots to their rivals' 11, and even an extra player in the final minutes after William's red card , Flamengo couldn't convert their dominance into goals. For Jorginho, this was the decisive detail:

"We were missing a goal. We created chances, but we didn't finish them. It was a good game tactically, but we could have made better decisions on some counterattacks . We deserved to win, in my opinion, but now it's time to look forward," said the number 21.

NEXT GAME

Flamengo returns to the field on Sunday (5), for the 27th round of the Brasileirão. The opponent will be Bahia, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador . Even with the draw at Maracanã, Flamengo remains leader of the Brasileirão with 55 points, three more than Palmeiras, second place in the championship.