REMEMBER HIM? FORMER FLAMENGO STAR, TODAY AN ASSISTANT AT AMAZONAS, TELLS WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO FIND OUT THAT HE WOULD FACE FLA

Vitória ended this Sunday (24) the preparation to face Flamengo , in a game scheduled for this Monday (25), at 9 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship . Check out the details of Leão:

RETURNS AND DEFAULTS

Midfielder Willian Oliveira has recovered from a knee injury and is back at the disposal of coach Fábio Carille . Zé Marcos and Ronald are also back after suspensions. Defender Neris will be out of the squad after being sent off against Juventude and is serving an automatic suspension.

The medical department remains full : Claudinho, Cáceres, Jamerson, Baralhas, Rúben Ismael, and Romarinho are still recovering, while Matheuzinho is in physical transition. Given the high number of injuries, Carille named three youngsters from the youth academy: defender Andrei, defensive midfielder Edenilson, and midfielder Wendell.

PROBABLE LINEUP

With the many absences, the tendency is for Vitória to enter the field against Flamengo with: Lucas Arcanjo; Edu (or Lucas Braga), Lucas Halter, Zé Marcos and Ramon; Ricardo Ryller (or Willian Oliveira), Ronald and Cantalapiedra (or Pepê); Erick, Osvaldo and Renato Kayzer.

SITUATION IN THE TABLE

Vitória has 19 points from 20 games and is in the relegation zone of the Brasileirão . During Sunday's training session, the team performed warm-ups, tactical and technical exercises focusing on possession, and defensive set-piece drills. The goalkeepers participated in position-specific drills.

Brazilian football's second transfer window is in its final stretch and closes on September 2. With only ten days remaining, the question fans are asking is: will Flamengo still make new signings or could it lose players ?

REINFORCEMENTS IN THE SEASON

So far, Flamengo has brought in four players this summer: Emerson Royal, Saúl, Carrascal, and Samuel Lino . Previously, during a special period for the Club World Cup, they had already signed midfielder Jorginho. The internal assessment is that the investments were satisfactory, strengthening areas considered lacking and giving Filipe Luís more options.

NEW HIRES?

The board isn't considering the arrival of new players in this final stretch. Some positions are still being monitored: goalkeeper, center-back, and center-forward . However, the football management team, led by executive José Boto, plans to postpone these changes until the end of the season.

• Goalkeeper: the idea is to hire a replacement for Rossi, as Matheus Cunha has a contract until the end of the year and has a contract with Cruzeiro from 2026.
• Center forward: This position is being carefully evaluated. Pedro has once again excelled, Wallace Yan has shown improvement, and even without Juninho's emergence, there are alternatives like Bruno Henrique and Plata to improvise.
• Defender: Considered the biggest need. Léo Ortiz and Léo Pereira played practically the entire season without rest. Despite Danilo's recovery and the options available to youngsters João Victor, Cleiton, and even Iago (under-20), the board plans to reinforce the defense only at the end of the year, already anticipating possible departures.

FINAL SCENARIO

With no negotiations underway, Flamengo is unlikely to sign any more players until the window closes . The priority now is the December transfer window, when the club is expected to move primarily to strengthen its defense.

Flamengo returns to the field this Monday (25), at 9 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, to face Vitória in a match valid for the Brazilian Championship. The expectation is a full house: around 50 thousand tickets have already been sold in advance. So far, only the North Sector is sold out, but the other sectors remain available.

Those wishing to attend the game can purchase tickets through the official website ingressos.flamengo.com.br . Prices range from R$80 (R$40 half-price) to R$400 (R$200 half-price), with special discounts for club members. Attendance is projected to exceed 50,000, ensuring a decisive atmosphere at the Sacred Temple.

ISOLATED LEADER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Flamengo comes into the match in excellent form, sitting atop the table with 43 points. Under Filipe Luís, the team has a six-game unbeaten streak in the Brasileirão. Furthermore, last week, the team secured a spot in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals by eliminating Internacional, an opponent they had previously defeated 3-1 at Beira-Rio, solidifying their strong run this season.

VICTORY IN THE DANGEROUS ZONE

Vitória, meanwhile, is fighting to escape the relegation zone. The Bahian team sits in 17th place with 19 points and is coming off a 2-2 draw with Juventude at Barradão Stadium. Prior to that, they suffered a 2-0 loss to São Paulo at Morumbis Stadium . The task is daunting, but the team is banking on the need to score points to bounce back in the competition.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

FLAMENGO (Coach: Filipe Luis): Rossi; Varela (Royal), Leo Ortiz (Danilo), Leo Pereira, Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Saul, Arrascaeta, Plata (Luiz Araujo), Samuel Lino and Pedro.
VICTORY (Coach: Fabio Carille): Lucas Arcanjo; Lucas Braga (Edu), Lucas Halter, Ze Marcos and Ramon; Ricardo Ryller (Willian Oliveira), Pepê and Ronald (Aitor Cantalapiedra); Erick, Osvaldo and Renato Kayzer.