Flamengo isolates itself in finals between Brazilian and South American clubs

Flamengo is ready to face Internacional this Wednesday (13), at Maracanã , for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. Coach Filipe Luís confirmed the entry of Luiz Araújo in place of Arrascaeta, who is suspended, and promoted the return of Jorginho to the starting lineup.

Without the Uruguayan number 10, the red-black team will take to the field with: Rossi; Royal, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Allan; Luiz Araújo, Plata, Samuel Lino and Pedro.

The main new addition is Jorginho, who returns after serving a suspension in the Brasileirão victory over Mirassol. Arrascaeta, on the other hand, is out due to an accumulation of yellow cards in the continental competition.

FLAMENGO HAS THREE ABSENCES

In addition to Arrascaeta, Flamengo will be without Erick Pulgar (right foot surgery), De La Cruz (left knee injury), and Danilo (right thigh injury). The final roster could still be surprising, as Filipe Luís has opted for strategic cuts due to the excess players on the roster.

SCHEDULE, BROADCAST AND DETAILS

The match between Flamengo and Internacional is scheduled for 9:30 pm (Brasília time), with live broadcast on Rede Globo, on open TV, and on Disney+, via streaming. The return duel takes place next Wednesday (20), at Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre.

Flamengo's own stadium project gained direct participation from Companhia Carioca de Parcerias e Investimentos (CCPAR) in the preliminary agreement signed between the club, the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, and Caixa Econômica Federal. Specializing in concessions and partnerships, the municipal public company will be responsible for investing R$29.2 million, approximately 15% of the R$199.6 million earmarked for the Gasômetro land acquisition.

The amount will be allocated as financial compensation to Caixa, the former owner of the space through the Porto Maravilha Real Estate Investment Fund , which was expropriated by the City for the auction that resulted in Flamengo 's purchase. This information is from GE.

Flamengo will receive the majority of the amount: R$170 million . This amount includes the R$138 million already paid in the 2023 auction, plus R$7.9 million for the judicial investigation, and an additional R$23.6 million, which will be paid in five installments.

PROJECT CHALLENGES

Despite progress in negotiations, the project still faces obstacles. Removing the gas pipelines and clearing the land remain the responsibility of the City Hall . Governor Cláudio Castro assured the website 'MundoBola Flamengo' that the municipality is committed to these steps.

CLUB POSITION

At Flamengo, the topic is being treated cautiously. The Deliberative Council is preparing to discuss ways to secure the necessary resources without compromising the institution's financial health . Contrary to what had been reported, the topic of the new stadium did not come up at the last CoDe meeting.

Wednesday night (13) promises strong emotions at Maracanã. Flamengo and Internacional face each other at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores. Both teams are looking to build a significant advantage for the return leg , keeping alive the objective of continuing in the fight for the continental title.

Fans will be able to watch the match on broadcast TV, on Globo, and also on ESPN and Disney+ . A full house is expected at Maracanã, with overwhelming support from the Flamengo fans, with over 60,000 people in attendance. Fans can also watch live with commentary from Flamengo TV.

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

Coach Filipe Luís will have a significant absence: Arrascaeta, suspended, is out of the match. On the other hand, Nico De La Cruz is expected to return to the starting lineup. Thus, Flamengo's likely starting lineup is: Rossi; Alex Sandro, Léo Pereira, Léo Ortiz, Emerson Royal; Allan, Jorginho, Samuel Lino, Luiz Araújo, Plata; Pedro.

Internacional, on the Colorado side, arrives confident after a 3-1 away win over RB Bragantino in the Brasileirão. Despite their recent elimination from the Copa do Brasil to Fluminense, Roger Machado's team is showing signs of improvement. The likely lineup is: Rochet; Bernabei, Victor Gabriel, Vitão, Aguirre; Thiago Maia, Bruno Henrique, Wesley, Alan Patrick, Bruno Tabata; Borré.