Léo Ortiz highlights confidence in the committee and fierce competition for a spot in Flamengo's defense

Samuel Lino's debut for Flamengo caught the attention of the coaching staff and fans. Even with only one day of training before the match against Atlético-MG, the striker demonstrated personality, initiative in his plays, and a good understanding of the game. Despite the 1-0 defeat at Maracanã, Lino was the most dangerous player in the Mais Querido's attack, even having a goal disallowed late on.

The good impression left in the debut reinforced the possibility of Samuel Lino starting among the starting 11 in the match against Ceará, this Sunday (3) , at 6:30 pm, at Arena Castelão, for the 18th round of the Brasileirão. Coach Filipe Luís still leads a final training session this Saturday, but the tendency is to select the best he has available.

Flamengo is expected to have key players back, including Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique, and Jorginho, who were rested for the final knockout match. On the other hand, the squad will be without Pedro and Wallace Yan , who are serving suspensions. Lino's entry appears to be a natural alternative to add depth and speed to the attack.

SAMUEL LINO CAN HELP ATTACK

The coaching staff sees Samuel Lino as a player capable of offering greater unpredictability in attacking plays . His one-on-one prowess could be crucial in breaking down tight defenses, a recurring challenge faced by the Mais Querido in recent rounds of the Brazilian Championship. The expectation is that, with greater chemistry, the striker will gain even more prominence.

FLAMENGO'S PROBABLE LINEUP

If Filipe Luís opts to field a full-strength lineup, the red-and-black lineup could include: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Alex Sandro; Jorginho, Allan, and Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo, Samuel Lino, and Bruno Henrique . Flamengo is looking to bounce back in the Brasileirão and sees Lino's performance as a potential key to getting back to winning ways.

Colombian midfielder Jorge Carrasca is close to being officially announced by Flamengo, but the deal still depends on bureaucratic procedures. Dynamo Moscow, the Russian club that holds the player's rights , has not yet submitted the final documentation to complete the transfer.

Despite this, Carrascal has already undergone medical examinations in Rio de Janeiro , was approved and signed a contract with Mais Querido. The red-black board, however, is still waiting for the paperwork from Russia to officially confirm the new reinforcement. As of the afternoon of last Friday (1), the document had not yet arrived.

PLAYER WENT TO MARACANÃ

Even without an official announcement, Jorge Carrascal was present at the Maracanã stadium during Flamengo 's victory over Atlético-MG in the Copa do Brasil. The athlete's presence highlights that the final stages of the negotiations are well advanced, with only the Russian formalization remaining to complete the process.

NEGOTIATION VALUE

To facilitate Carrascal 's arrival, Flamengo agreed to pay 12 million euros (approximately R$77.5 million) . Negotiations with Dynamo Moscow lasted more than a month and only progressed after Mengão adjusted the payment terms, as required by the European club.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Still without Carrascal, Rubro-Negro returns to the field next Sunday (3) to face Ceará, at 6:30 pm , at Castelão (CE), for the 18th round of the Brasileirão to try to maintain the leadership of the national tournament.

Flamengo started the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil at a disadvantage, after losing 1-0 to Atlético-MG on Thursday night (31), at Maracanã. Despite having more possession, the team led by Filipe Luís was unable to break down the opposing defense and saw their rivals take the lead in the knockout match. The result puts pressure on Mais Querido, who will need to reverse the situation away from home to advance in the competition.

After the derby , full-back Guillermo Varela analyzed the team's performance and already predicted the decisive match against Atlético-MG. For the player, a narrow advantage doesn't determine qualification, but he believes a high-intensity atmosphere will emerge in the second leg.

Varela predicts Flamengo vs Atlético-MG: "It will have to be at war"

"We know Atlético-MG is a great team, with great players. They're doing their part, trying to distract us. It's part of the game too. There (in Minas Gerais), it's going to be a battle. We only have one goal advantage. We haven't discussed anything yet; we'll analyze what we did well and poorly. We have Sunday first, which is very important for us. Then, this decision. It's still open," said Varela .

FLAMENGO DOMINATES POSSESSION

Despite dominating possession, Mengão struggled with their opponent's efficiency . The only goal came in the 20th minute of the second half, after a mistake by Léo Pereira , which resulted in Cuello's goal. The home defeat forces the Rio de Janeiro team to seek a victory by two or more goals in the second leg to avoid elimination in the round of 16.

RETURN GAME BETWEEN ATLÉTICO-MG

The reunion between the teams already has a set date. Flamengo and Atlético-MG will face each other again next Wednesday (06) , at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena MRV. Filipe Luís ' team needs to win by two goals to qualify directly, or by one goal to take the decision to penalties.