Former Flamengo player will be responsible for presenting the Ballon d'Or award

Flamengo drew 1-1 with Vasco last Sunday (21), in a match valid for the Brazilian Championship Betano. Even though they remained in the lead, the result increased the pressure on their direct rivals in the fight for the top of the table.

The match was marked by Colombian Carrascal's first goal for the red and black team. He started the derby, as coach Filipe Luís opted for a heavily modified lineup , resting players who only came on in the second half.

JORGINHO 'DESPERATES'

A video released by journalist Gabriel Reis (Paparazzo Rubro-Negro) showed Jorginho leaving the Maracanã stadium with his head down and shaking his head in disapproval. The athlete, who had been a regular starter under Filipe Luís , has been out of the last few games, and the club has not yet officially announced whether there is an injury or other reason for his absence.

FILIPE LUÍS EXPLAINS LINEUP

After the match, Filipe Luís was asked at the press conference about the changes. The coach explained that the squad's physical exhaustion prompted the changes. According to him, Flamengo has enough options to mix up the team without losing quality , even in decisive matches.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Now Flamengo focuses its attention on the Copa Libertadores. The red-black team beat Estudiantes 2-1 in the first leg, at Maracanã, and has the advantage of a draw in the return match , scheduled for next Thursday (25), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), in La Plata, for a place in the semifinals of the continental tournament.

Flamengo and Vasco drew 1-1 on Sunday afternoon (21) , at Maracanã, for the Brazilian Championship Series A. In the midst of the decisive sequence in the Copa Libertadores , coach Filipe Luís chose to field a very modified team in the Rio de Janeiro classic.

Among the new additions, names like Ayrton Lucas, Cebolinha, and Carrascal started the game . The Colombian even scored Flamengo's goal in the match, standing out as one of the alternative team's key attacking players.

FILIPE LUÍS EXPLAINS CHOICES

After the match, Filipe Luís justified the changes in relation to the team that beat Estudiantes last Thursday (18). Among the 'spared' players were Léo Pereira, Arrascaeta , Samuel Lino and Pedro.

" I thought of a fresh team that could pressure Vasco's attacking play , as they tend to crowd the flanks. We needed rested players. Many of those who played on Thursday haven't fully recovered. We decided to bring some of them on in the second half to try to improve the team," said the coach.

FLAMENGO IS ALREADY THINKING ABOUT A DECISION

Flamengo 's next challenge is the second leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, scheduled for this Thursday (25), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), in La Plata, Argentina. The red-black team won the first leg 2-1 at Maracanã and only needs a draw to advance to the semifinals of the continental tournament.

Flamengo opened the scoring at Maracanã, but ended up conceding a draw to Vasco in this Sunday's Campeonato Brasileiro derby. With the result, the red-and-black team, which leads the competition, reached 51 points , just two ahead of second-place Palmeiras, keeping the title race wide open.

After the match, defender Léo Ortiz gave an interview and explained that fielding an alternate team wasn't decisive in the result. "We have a very qualified squad, and we're used to playing together in training. There are a lot of games and little rest time. Filipe doesn't usually differentiate between starters and substitutes, so you can't attribute that to the draw," he stated.

DEFENDER ADMITS FAILURES

Ortiz also commented on Flamengo 's missed chances and the goal conceded from a set piece. It's worth noting that Flamengo also suffered from a goal in the penalty area in the Libertadores match against Estudiantes.

Léo Ortiz laments Flamengo's performance: "We gave them space"

"We failed to convert more goals. The game opened up in the second half, we gave space to counterattacks and conceded on a set piece . We know these situations decide championships. We've taken advantage of this in other matches, and today we ended up failing," the defender added.

NEXT CHALLENGE

After the draw in the Brasileirão, Flamengo returns to the field this Thursday (25), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), in La Plata , for the second leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. The team won the first leg 2-1 at Maracanã and only needs a draw to advance to the semifinals.