Flamengo reaches 52.9% chance of winning the Brasileirão; see updated table

Flamengo already knows who will be in charge of the whistle in the decisive match against Cruzeiro , next Thursday (October 1st), for the 26th round of the 2025 Brazilian Championship. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that 36-year-old Santa Catarina native Ramon Abatti Abel will be the referee of the match . The assistants and the VAR team are yet to be announced by the entity.

Ramon Abatti Abel has played 20 matches in national tournaments this season. In 2025, he refereed five Flamengo matches and only one Cruzeiro match. Interestingly, both Flamengo and Raposa have won all their matches under the referee's direction.

RECENT HISTORY

The only Cruzeiro match refereed by Ramon this year was the 2-0 victory over Atlético-MG on August 27, in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals, at Arena MRV. Flamengo beat Botafogo 3-1 in the Supercopa do Brasil on February 2 , at Mangueirão, in Belém, also refereed by the Santa Catarina native.

FILIPE LUÍS ASKS FOR HUMILITY

Coach Filipe Luís spoke about the importance of the match against Cruzeiro and emphasized that, despite the decisive nature of the match, the points are worth the same as in any other round. " Now we have a direct rival in the next game, which is Cruzeiro, and these are three very important points , just like today. This championship is very difficult," he stated.

He recalled the criticism he received after the draw with Vasco, emphasizing the tournament's unpredictability. " We drew with Vasco last week, and everyone said Flamengo was awful. But today Vasco beat Cruzeiro, who are fighting for the title. These things show how competitive the championship is," he said after the game against Corinthians .

Flamengo widened its lead over its rivals at the top of the Brazilian Championship by defeating Corinthians 2-1 in Itaquera. Still in the first half, in the 13th minute, with the score at 0-0, goalkeeper Rossi was decisive again. This time, he saved a penalty from Yuri Alberto, who was sitting on the pitch , catching the ball after the striker's chipped shot.

The Argentine press praised the goalkeeper's performance. TyC Sports described it as: " A marvelous goalkeeper: Rossi saved a penalty with a chip shot while sitting down. After receiving the ball, the 30-year-old goalkeeper showed his contempt for the experienced striker, making a clear 'not like that' gesture with his index finger ."

Meanwhile, the newspaper "Olé" highlighted: " Flamengo's goalkeeper shone again on the penalty kick. Yuri Alberto's arrogance allowed him to keep the ball. The experienced Corinthians striker made a terrible decision: he dug in absurdly, and the Argentine goalkeeper saved it almost sitting down, with little effort ."

FLAMENGO OVERCOMES YURI ALBERTO'S GOAL

In the second half, Corinthians opened the scoring through Yuri Alberto, but Flamengo quickly responded. Arrascaeta equalized, and Luiz Araújo scored the winning goal, securing the three points and solidifying Flamengo's lead in the Brazilian Championship.

ARRASCAETA HIGHLIGHTS PERSONALITY

After the match, Arrascaeta praised his teammate's performance: " 2019 was magical. We went through these things. We won and grew stronger even when playing poorly. Knowing that when you're not playing well, everyone works hard until they do. Then there are players of great quality who make a difference. Today was another game like that. Rossi showed his personality ," the midfielder declared.

Flamengo secured a crucial victory over Corinthians, coming from behind to win 2-1, with goals from Arrascaeta and Luiz Araújo. The result secured the team's lead and extended the Rubro-Negro's lead over its direct rivals in the standings.

At the post-match press conference, coach Filipe Luís acknowledged Corinthians' strong performance in the first half . He also emphasized that the limited training and rest time compromised the team's performance, which came close to defeat in the first 45 minutes.

MICHAEL LOSES SPACE IN THE CAST

The strong and qualified squad led by Filipe Luís has increased competition for spots, and some players have ended up losing their place, such as Michael. According to Bolavip Brasil, the athlete is uncomfortable with his current situation , even being left off some rosters.

After the Club World Cup, Michael was on the bench against Bayern Munich and São Paulo , but then suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for several rounds. Even after recovering, he remained unavailable, being left out of several squad lists.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT COMMITMENT

Flamengo 's next match will be against Cruzeiro, on Thursday (2), at 8:30 pm, at Maracanã. The duel pits the top two teams in the competition against each other . The match marks the reunion with Gabigol in Rio de Janeiro.