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Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (3), at 6:30 pm, against Ceará , at Arena Castelão, for the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship . The duel marks another important commitment for Rubro-Negro in the fight for leadership and is already moving the atmosphere of the Ceará team.

CEARÁ WANTS TO MAKE HOME FIELD VALUE

One of Ceará 's standout players this season, midfielder Dieguinho commented on his expectations for the match and emphasized the importance of playing with the support of the fans . Vozão has the 12th-best home record in the Brasileirão.

Dieguinho, from Ceará: "We know Flamengo's quality"

"We played a great game against Cruzeiro in the last round and got an excellent result. But now we have a very strong opponent ahead of us. We know Flamengo 's quality, but we'll be playing at home, with the support of our fans , and we need to make the most of our home advantage to get another win," he said.

Ceará's leader in tackles and interceptions in Série A, Dieguinho is also one of the players with the most minutes on the field this season. The team is riding high after its victory over Cruzeiro , which also helped Flamengo regain the lead in the Brasileirão.

The Castelão stadium is expected to be packed, as all tickets have been sold in advance. The Ceará club even issued a statement asking Flamengo fans not to purchase tickets in the sections reserved for home fans.

FLAMENGO PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES

After the defeat to Atlético-MG in the Copa do Brasil, the red-black squad returned this Friday (1) . The players who did not play as starters participated in activities on the field with coach Filipe Luís.

The team will have just one full training session before the trip to Fortaleza, but changes are expected from the lineup that faced Galo. Jorginho and Arrascaeta are expected to return to midfield , while Samuel Lino is the favorite to start on the left wing after a strong debut.

FLAMENGO'S PROBABLE LINEUP

With key players missing, coach Filipe Luís will need to make changes to his lineup for the match against Ceará. Flamengo is expected to field: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Allan, and Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo, Samuel Lino, and Bruno Henrique.

Fortaleza announced this Friday (1st) the amicable termination of the contract with defender David Luiz , who will now continue his career at Pafos FC , a team in the first division of Cyprus. The defender had signed with the Ceará club at the beginning of 2024, after ending his stint at Flamengo.

EXIT FROM FORTALEZA

His departure comes after just 16 appearances for the Tricolor, 13 of which he started . His last appearance was on June 12th, in a 3-2 loss to Santos in the 12th round of the Brazilian Championship. On that occasion, David Luiz played the full 90 minutes.

His brief time at Fortaleza was marked by recurring physical problems , which, while not serious, prevented him from playing regularly. Even so, the 38-year-old opted to waive the remaining balance of his contract, which ran until the end of 2026, to accept the Cypriot football club's offer. His contract with Pafos FC will last three seasons.

CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS

With his move to Cyprus, David Luiz now has eight clubs in his career: Vitória, Benfica, Chelsea, PSG, Arsenal, Flamengo, Fortaleza and, now, Pafos. For Flamengo , the club he defended between 2021 and 2024, the defender played 132 matches , scored four goals and provided two assists. He won the Libertadores (2022), the Copa do Brasil (2022 and 2024) and the Campeonato Carioca (2024).

AND FLAMENGO?

While David Luiz will make his return to European football, Flamengo is preparing for the clash with Ceará in the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship . The duel will be this Sunday (3) at 6:30 pm (Brasília time) at Arena Castelão. Mengão needs the victory to remain at the top of the competition without having to worry about its pursuers.

Matheus Gonçalves' fate is still up in the air. The young Flamengo player is in advanced negotiations with CSKA Moscow in Russia, but two other foreign teams have also expressed interest in signing him .

The information was released by journalist Gabriel Reis, from the Paparazzo Rubro-Negro channel. According to him, an intermediary involved in the negotiations with CSKA confirmed that two other clubs are in the running —one from the United Arab Emirates and another from Europe, but without participation in the continent's major leagues, a profile similar to that of the Russian club.

NEGOTIATIONS STILL IN PROGRESS

So far, no official proposals have been sent to Flamengo by these two competitors, and they may formalize their interest. However, offers are expected to be formalized in the coming days, with values similar to those presented by CSKA .

The main difference lies in the percentages of economic rights. Flamengo is considering whether it prefers to secure a larger sum upfront or a higher percentage in a future sale , which could directly influence the player's future.

HIGHLIGHT AGAINST ATLÉTICO-MG SPARKED INTEREST

Matheus Gonçalves was already being watched by the international market , but his strong performance as a starter against Atlético-MG in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16 increased the interest of foreign clubs. The youngster's performance increased his chances of being traded this summer.

Despite praise from coach Filipe Luís, the player has received little playing time on the main squad . Therefore, on several occasions, he has requested to play for the U-20 team in search of match fitness. Now, Matheus could be rewarded with a transfer to a team where he has more opportunities to play.