Flamengo has an evolved Gerson in 2024, the player has Tite's trust this season

Grêmio will be Flamengo's next opponent in the Brasileirão and raced against time to register midfielder Arthur in the CBF's Daily Information Bulletin (BID) . The registration was completed this Friday (29), releasing the player to play. However, coach Mano Menezes decided not to include him for the duel at Maracanã, this Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), due to physical conditioning.

Officially presented one day after the announcement of the hiring, Arthur has already participated in activities with the cast, but will follow a specific preparation schedule before debuting , despite being released with his documentation with the entity.

GRÊMIO REINFORCEMENTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

In addition to Arthur, Grêmio has strengthened its squad with Marcos Rocha, Carlos Vinícius, Balbuena, and Erick Noriega . All of them have already been named in the BID and could be used by Mano Menezes against Flamengo , who are expected to make no further signings in the current transfer window.

HOW FLAMENGO ARRIVES FOR THE CONFRONTATION

Coach Filipe Luís concluded Flamengo 's preparation for the match this Saturday (30). The squad is practically complete, with only two absences : Alex Sandro, recovering from a calf injury, and Erick Pulgar, who is recovering from surgery on his right foot.

WHERE TO WATCH FLAMENGO X GRÊMIO

The duel between Flamengo and Grêmio takes place this Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time) , at Maracanã, valid for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will be broadcast by Rede Globo (on open channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view).

Leaders and runners-up in the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo and Palmeiras are heading into a fierce, point-by-point battle for the title. Journalist Mansur believes the scenario is already set, considering their economic power and the strength of their respective squads. "My feeling is that, given their economic power and consistent points in the championship, everyone is prepared for a point-by-point battle between Flamengo and Palmeiras," he assessed.

RIVALRY MAY REMIND OF GREAT EUROPEAN DISPUTES

In the commentator's view, although both clubs are always considered favorites, they have never competed so directly for the title. He compares the expectation to historic rivalries in European football.

Mansur on the dispute between Flamengo and Palmeiras: "That's what's shaping up"

"Despite being considered favorites year after year, we haven't yet had that kind of race in the Brasileirão, like in the Premier League with City and Liverpool, or City and Arsenal . In La Liga, between Barcelona and Real Madrid . But this season, that's what's shaping up," he added.

RECENT HISTORY SHOWS DIFFERENT PATHS

In 2019, Flamengo faced no worthy opponent and saw Palmeiras finish in 3rd place. The following year, Internacional challenged Flamengo, with São Paulo and Atlético-MG also in contention , while Palmeiras finished 7th. Palmeiras' last two titles, in 2022 and 2023, did not feature prominently. In 2022, Inter was the main competitor. Last year, Botafogo led for much of the tournament, and Flamengo finished only 4th.

THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE FANS HAS ALREADY STARTED

For Mansur, the proof that the duel is centered on Flamengo and Palmeiras is in the behavior of the fans. Both teams are already following not only their own team's games , but also their rivals' matches, measuring each slip-up and comparing the difficulties in the standings.

"The fans of these two clubs are constantly watching their team's game and their opponent's game, to compare who has the greatest difficulty, if the opponent loses, how much ground you recover ...", he analyzed.

OTHER COMPETITORS STILL TRY TO STAY ALIVE

Besides the duo, other clubs remain in contention, such as Cruzeiro, currently in 3rd place, and Bahia, in 4th place. However, they have lost momentum in recent rounds, especially the Minas Gerais team, after recent stumbles. Flamengo leads the Brasileirão with 46 points and a game in hand, while Palmeiras has 42 points with two games remaining.

Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (31), at Maracanã, to face Grêmio in the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. In addition to the duel within the four lines, the club prepared something new for fans: a limited edition of golden commemorative cups.

Only four thousand units will be available for sale at the stadium. Each piece features the players' names and jersey numbers, as well as images of the players in action wearing the red-and-black uniform . Highlights include Léo Ortiz, Jorginho , Plata, and Rossi.

TICKETS SOLD OUT

Ticket sales for the match ended last Thursday, with all tickets sold out five days before the match. Prices ranged from R$80 in the South section to R$500 in the Maracanã Mais section. With free tickets and amenities, the expected attendance is close to 65,000 fans.

In recent games, Flamengo has recorded large attendances. Against Internacional, in the Libertadores, 63,567 tickets were sold (68,483 in attendance), while against São Paulo, in the Brasileirão , the number reached 63,300 tickets sold (67,359 in attendance).

EXCITED FANS

In the last match played at the stadium, Filipe Luís's team thrashed Vitória 8-0 on a Monday night . Even at an unusual time, more than 60,000 fans showed up to cheer on the team, reinforcing the nation's strength.