Flamengo has a tormentor in Vitor Pereira's life - Check out the former coach's words

The confrontation between Flamengo Peñarol for the Libertadores is decisive not only for the club's future in the competition, but also for coach Tite. The match became a kind of “early end” for the coach, who sees his stay in charge of the team threatened. Although the red and black board has chosen to support the coach and does not intend to fire him before the quarter-finals, an elimination tonight, combined with inconsistent performance in the Brazilian Championship, could change the scenario.

The expectation of evolution under Tite's command was high. Hired to give the team a new direction, the coach arrived surrounded by hopes of improvement, especially in a squad as qualified as Flamengo's. However, the results in the Brasileirão so far are below expectations, leaving the team far from fighting for the title and increasing the pressure on the coach. If there is no progress in the Libertadores, it will be difficult to justify the continuation of work that has not reached the goals initially set. FLAMENGO HAS A DEFINED POINT OF VIEW 

The Flamengo de Tite has fluctuated in the Brasileirão. Despite having a strong squad, the team has difficulty imposing itself against theoretically weaker opponents and is unable to present regularity. The low performance has been a cause for concern within the club and is also the target of criticism from the fans. The lack of solid and consistent results has placed the team in an uncomfortable position in the table and increased questions about the coach's work.

This situation in the national championship contrasts with initial expectations. When Tite was hired, the idea was that he would bring greater stability to the team, especially in defensive terms. However, this improvement was not seen, and the team continues to suffer from recurring failures in defense, in addition to creation problems in the midfield. With Rubro-Negro far from the fight for the title and even the classification zone for the Libertadores next year, the risk of not achieving the planned objectives is real, and the responsibility lies with the technical command.

This Thursday (26), Flamengo faces Peñarol (URU) in the return game of the quarterfinals final of the Copa Libertadores de América. The clash will be held in Montevideo, at the Campeón del Siglo Stadium, and will determine who advances to the semi-finals of the continental tournament. Mengão enters the field with the mission of reversing the 1-0 defeat suffered at Maracanã in the first game.

Tite will form the team with Rossi, Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira, Alex Sandro, Léo Ortiz, De La Cruz, Arrascaeta, Gerson, Plata and Bruno Henrique. 

Unlike other important games, the match between Mais Querido and Peñarol will not be broadcast on open TV by Rede Globo. The broadcaster chose to show the clash between São Paulo and Botafogo, which took place on Wednesday (25) and ended in victory for Alvinegro. For red and black fans, the clash against the Uruguayan team will be broadcast on other channels.

The live broadcast of the clash between CRF and Peñarol will be carried out by two vehicles: ESPN, via subscription channel, and Disney Plus, via the streaming service. Furthermore, fans of Flamengoyou will be able to follow the match with more "hot" coverage on the FLA TV channel, on YouTube.

MENGÃO'S MISSINGS

Most Querido enters the field missing five important players, who are out of action due to injuries. Everton Cebolinha (Achilles tendon rupture), Viña (cruciate ligament rupture and tibial fracture), Pedro (anterior cruciate ligament rupture of the knee), Michael (muscle injury) and Luiz Araújo (cartilage fracture of the right knee) are the players who will not be available for coach Tite.

The Flamengo takes the field in this Thursday (26), at 2:45 pm (Brasília time), to face Boavista in the second leg of the semi-finals of the Carioca Under-20 Championship. The match will be decisive for Rubro-Negro's aspirations in the state of the category, as the club seeks to break a four-year fast without winning the title. As they finished the qualifying phase in second place, the team led by Filipe Luís enters the field with the advantage of a draw to guarantee their place in the final.

Flamengo should start the match with the following lineup: Caio Barone in goal; Daniel Sales, João Victor, Felipe Vieira and Carbone on the defensive line; Rayan Lucas, Caio Garcia, Fabiano and Guilherme in midfield; and Felipe Teresa and Rafael Couto in attack. The expectation is for a balanced game, considering the 1-1 draw in the first clash between the two teams. If Rubro-Negro qualifies, they will face the winner of the other semi-final, which is being played between Vasco and Fluminense, in another Rio classic.

In the duel on the way, Flamengo started well and opened the score in the 18th minute with Guilherme Gomes. However, the Boavista team managed to react quickly and tied the game five minutes later with Rivas' goal, leaving the match open for decision at the Estádio da Gávea. With the score level and the red-black advantage due to the draw in the second round, Filipe Luís's men know that they need to maintain control of the game and take advantage of opportunities to avoid surprises.

Flamengo arrives under pressure for the confrontation, as they have not won the Carioca Under-20 Championship since 2019, when they defeated Vasco in the final. Since then, the Crias do Ninho have accumulated frustrated participation in the competition, and now they have the chance to regain their leading role on the state scene. Furthermore, the early elimination in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, after the defeat to Fortaleza in the quarter-finals, increased the need for a good campaign at Carioca to close the season in a positive way.