Flamengo is keeping an eye on Ancelotti's call-up to the Brazilian national team

The 26th round of the Brazilian Championship begins this Wednesday (01) with six matches moving the competition, with relevant games for the fight for the title and also against relegation. Flamengo, leader of the table, only plays on Thursday (02), when it faces Cruzeiro at Maracanã.

At 7 p.m. (Brasília time), three matches kick off the round, with Mengão fans looking forward to a crucial clash in the title race: Palmeiras vs. Vasco at Allianz Parque; Mirassol vs. Bragantino at Maião Stadium; and Sport vs. Fluminense at Ilha do Retiro. Immediately after, at 7:30 p.m., Internacional and Corinthians face off at Beira-Rio.

The night ends at 9:30 pm, with Santos x Grêmio, in the fight to distance themselves from the relegation zone , at Vila Belmiro, and Botafogo x Bahia, in a direct confrontation in the fight for the G4 of the Brasileirão , at Estádio Nilton Santos.

GAMES THIS WEDNESDAY (01):

• 7pm – Palmeiras x Vasco – Allianz Parque
• 7pm – Mirassol x Bragantino – Maião Stadium
• 7pm – Sport x Fluminense – Ilha do Retiro
• 7:30 pm – Internacional x Corinthians – Beira-Rio
• 9:30 pm – Santos x Grêmio – Vila Belmiro
• 9:30 pm – Botafogo x Bahia – Nilton Santos

AND FLAMENGO?

Flamengo returns to the field this Thursday (02), at 8:30 pm (Brasília time), against Cruzeiro, at Maracanã. The clash pits the leader and runner-up of the Brasileirão against each other : Rubro-Negro has 54 points, while the Minas Gerais team is right behind, with 50. A victory could increase Flamengo's advantage in the fight for the title.

Flamengo received, this Tuesday (30), a new transfer from FIFA regarding participation in the Club World Cup held between June and July , in the United States. The entity transferred US$ 7.5 million (around R$ 40 million) to the club for reaching the round of 16.

Previously, Rubro-Negro had already pocketed US$15.2 million (R$82 million) for qualifying for the tournament . In addition, it secured another US$4 million (R$22 million) for victories over Espérance (TUN) and Chelsea (ENG), while the draw against Los Angeles FC (USA) yielded US$1 million (R$5.5 million).

The amounts, however, are gross and still subject to tax deductions in the United States and Brazil. The actual impact on cash flow will only be detailed in the club's financial statement at the end of the season . Initially, the amounts related to World Cup participation were not included in the club's budget due to uncertainties regarding bonuses.

FLAMENGO'S CAMPAIGN IN THE WORLD CUP

Flamengo finished top of the group stage . In their debut, they beat Espérance 2-0. They then came from behind to beat Chelsea 3-1 and drew 1-1 with Los Angeles, playing with reserves. In the round of 16, they were eliminated by Bayern Munich (GER) after a 4-2 defeat.

PATH TO THE NEXT WORLD CUP

The next edition of the Club World Cup, in its current format, is scheduled for 2029. To secure a spot, Flamengo will need to win one of the next four Copa Libertadores . In 2025, the team is already in the semifinals and will face Racing (ARG) on October 22 and 29.

Flamengo returns to the field this Thursday (02), against Cruzeiro, for the 26th round of the Brazilian Championship. Before that, coach Filipe Luís will lead, on the afternoon of this Wednesday (01), the team's last training session at Ninho do Urubu, where he should also confirm the starting lineup for the duel at Maracanã.

PROBABLE LINEUP

The most likely lineup is: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Alex Sandro (Ayrton Lucas); Saúl, Jorginho, and Arrascaeta; Plata, Samuel Lino, and Pedro. However, the official lineup will depend on the activity scheduled for 3:30 p.m. (Brasília time).

SITUATION IN THE TABLE

Flamengo leads the standings with 54 points, four ahead of Cruzeiro , currently second with 50 and with a game in hand over the Mais Querido. Therefore, the clash is a direct one in the title race.

TRANSMISSION

The duel between Flamengo and Cruzeiro is scheduled for this Thursday (2) at 8:30 pm (Brasília time). The match will be broadcast live on SporTV, on a subscription channel, and on Premiere , on the pay-per-view system for all of Brazil.

1 YEAR OF FILIPE LUÍS

The game will also be the first since coach Filipe Luís reached a significant milestone at Flamengo. The coach completed a year in charge of the club's professional team , becoming the first to achieve this feat since Jorge Jesus, who was in charge of Mengão between June 2019 and June 2020.