Filipe Luís surprises with statements about Flamengo's squad: "The fewer the better"

Once again, left-back Alex Sandro left the field before halftime in a Flamengo game. On Monday night (25), against Vitória, at Maracanã, the player felt pain and had to be substituted in the first half. Coach Filipe Luís opted for the entry of Uruguayan Matías Viña, maintaining the team's defensive consistency.

In an official statement, the club reported that Alex Sandro felt pain in his left calf and, as a precaution, was ruled out of the rest of the match. Despite the substitution, the severity of the injury or a timetable for his return are still unclear.

This was the fourth time the full-back had to leave the field in the first half of a Mengão match due to injury. His recent history shows a series of difficulties: his last injury occurred on July 12th, against São Paulo, in the first match after the Club World Cup . On that occasion, he was out until the 31st of the same month, when he was recalled, but did not play against Atlético-MG.

IRREGULAR RETURNS

After this period, Alex Sandro returned to action against Ceará in the Brasileirão, but was soon sidelined again against Atlético-MG . He managed to get back-to-back appearances against Mirassol and Internacional, before missing again in the national championship against the team from Rio Grande do Sul.

Most recently, he returned in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores , but was injured again on Monday, reinforcing concerns about his fitness. Flamengo has Ayrton Lucas and Viña as options for the left flank.

In Flamengo's victory over Vitória , this Monday (25), in the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship, Pedro reached a historic milestone: 100 goals at Maracanã. The feat happened just three minutes into the game, when the striker received a pass from Arrascaeta and, with a classy chip, beat goalkeeper Lucas Arcanjo to extend the lead. Samuel Lino had opened the scoring moments before.

In the historic goal, he used his wits to fool the opposing defense, feigning a shot with his dominant leg. He then moved to his left and waited for the goalkeeper to move before delivering a subtle touch, which went in perfectly. The play exemplifies the variety of skills of the number 9, who continues to be an important player for the Mais Querido.

PEDRO'S STATISTICS

Of the 100 goals scored at Maracanã for the red and black team, 11 were penalties, 16 headers, and 4 chest kicks . With the ball in play, he scored 55 shots with his right foot and 14 with his left. Most of them were inside the box (84), but Pedro also found the net five times with shots from outside the box. For Fluminense, the club that revealed him, he had already scored 11 other goals at the stadium.

PEDRO ALREADY MARKED IN HISTORY

With 147 goals in 292 matches for Mengão and 33 assists, Pedro currently occupies 10th place among the club's all-time top scorers , close to reaching Bebeto, who has 150. In addition, Pedro has 25 goals in the Libertadores , just 5 behind Gabigol, to reach the mark of the club's all-time top scorer in the competition.

He has already scored 10 goals this season, second only to Arrascaeta, who has 15 and is enjoying a brilliant run of form, already racking up 13 assists this year. Pedro is looking to recapture his strong run as Filipe Luís's starter.

In search of another victory to maintain the lead in the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo is already scheduled to face Vitória this Monday (25), at 9 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. The match is valid for the 21st round of the national competition and promises to be decisive for the fight for the title.

Coach Filipe Luís confirmed that the starting lineup will include: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Saúl, Arrascaeta, Plata, Samuel Lino, and Pedro . This lineup reinforces the Rubro-Negro's strongest team, which currently has 43 points and leads the table.

ERICK PULGAR IS CONFIRMED TO BE ABSENT

The only confirmed absence is Erick Pulgar, who is still recovering from a fractured right foot suffered at the Club World Cup, an injury that required surgery. Otherwise, Filipe Luís has virtually his entire squad available for tonight's match.

This round could change the top of the table. Mengão leads with 43 points, two ahead of Cruzeiro , who won this round and reached 41. Palmeiras, with 39 points, still has a chance to close the gap. A victory is crucial for Mengão to maintain its lead.

WHERE TO WATCH THE GAME

The match between Flamengo and Vitória takes place at 9 p.m. at the Maracanã Stadium, with live coverage on SporTV (subscription TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view). While Flamengo is looking to solidify its lead, Vitória is aiming to earn points to climb out of the relegation zone.