Gabigol provokes Vasco fans remembering Flamengo's 6-1 in the first round

Tite defined Flamengo and announced the 11 starters who will face Peñarol, this Thursday, at Maracanã, at 7pm. De la Cruz returns to the starting lineup in place of Léo Ortiz, and Alex Sandro and Plata were retained. The duel with the Uruguayans is the first between the teams in the quarter-finals of the Copa Conmebol Libertadores. Follow the Red and Black lineup:Rossi, Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Pulgar, De la Cruz, Gerson and Arrascaeta; Plata and Bruno Henrique.

Alex Sandro and Plata, debutants in last Sunday's classic, remain in the team after having good performances in the draw against Vasco. Gabigol is now out of the relationship due to fibrosis in the posterior muscle of his right thigh. Flamengo, in a statement, reported that the athlete did not suffer any injury in the region. Check it out:

"The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo informs that the athlete Gabriel Barbosa underwent tests that did not diagnose an injury to the posterior muscle of his right thigh. However, the Technical Committee opted for precaution and did not list him for the duel against Peñarol due to fibrosis in the region. Gabi is handed over to physiotherapists and physical trainers for the series of decisive games of the season."

Flamengo faces Peñarol (URU) in the first game of the CONMEBOL Libertadores quarter-finals and, here, you can watch the broadcast, live, with 2h30 of pre-game, interviews, the team's arrival at Maracanã and everything more.

Follow the match live here:

This Sunday (15), Maracanã will be the stage for another Classic of Millions, at 6:30 pm, for the 26th round of the Brasileirão. The clash between Flamengo and Vasco marks the reunion of the teams after the historic 6-1 defeat imposed by Rubro-Negro in the first round. Since then, both teams have undergone significant changes.

During the week, Flamengo and Vasco secured their places in the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil. Flamengo beat Bahia 1-0, with a goal from Arrascaeta, while Vasco, despite a 2-1 defeat to Athletico-PR, advanced on penalties. Now, Flamengo will face Corinthians, and Vasco will face Atlético-MG. If both advance, the final will recall the 2006 clash, when Flamengo won its second title in the competition.

Flamengo and Vasco lineups in the 6x1:

Flamengo: Rossi; Varela (Wesley), Fabrício Bruno, David Luiz and Viña; Allan (Pulgar), De la Cruz and Arrascaeta; Gerson (Luiz Araújo), Pedro (Gabigol) and Everton Cebolinha (Bruno Henrique).

Vasco: Léo Jardim; Maicon (João Victor), Léo, Puma Rodríguez (Zé Gabriel); Sforza (Paulo Henrique), Galdames, Payet (Praxedes) (Victor Luis), Lucas Piton, Rossi (Rayan) and Vegetti.

Flamengo's goals in the rout were scored by Everton Cebolinha, Pedro, David Luiz , Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique and Gabigol.

Changes at Flamengo: Although the base of the team led by Tite remained until September, the environment at Flamengo suffered from turbulence. The 6-1 defeat was the last game before the Copa América, which directly impacted the course of the season and contributed to the wear and tear of the squad. With five starting players called up, the team was without most of its athletes for nine rounds of the Brasileirão.

Despite this, Flamengo maintained a positive balance in the table, boosted by the victory over Vasco. However, the number of muscle injuries increased significantly, and wear and tear affected the team. Among the starters in the seventh round game, three suffered serious injuries: Everton Cebolinha, Viña and Pedro underwent surgery and are only expected to return in 2025.

Léo Ortiz, hired to reinforce the defense, ended up standing out in another role due to absences. The former Bragantino player established himself as a midfielder and became a key player in the team. Léo Pereira, who did not play in the 6-1 due to injury, resumed his place alongside Fabrício Bruno after recovering.

During the second semester transfer window, Flamengo went to the market to make up for losses due to injury, announcing the signings of Michael, Charly Alcaraz, Alex Sandro and Gonzalo Plata. However, for Sunday's game, Michael and Alcaraz will not be available, as both are out due to injury and suspension, respectively.

Changes at Vasco: In the defeat suffered by Flamengo, Vasco debuted Portuguese coach Álvaro Pacheco, whose tenure was short, lasting just four matches, including the 6-1. After three defeats and a draw, he was fired. Rafael Paiva, then under-20 coach, took charge and brought improvements to the team.

Under new management, Vasco left the relegation zone and currently occupies ninth place in the Brasileirão, in addition to being qualified for the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil.

Vasco also made moves in the transfer window, with emphasis on the arrival of Philippe Coutinho. He played just four games before suffering an injury and contracting Covid-19, making him doubtful for Sunday's game. Alex Teixeira, Souza, Emerson Rodríguez, Jean David and Maxime Dominguez were also signed. On the other hand, Medel, Zé Gabriel and Praxedes are no longer part of the cast.