LUIZ ARAÚJO SHINES AND FLAMENGO BEATS GÊMIO 2 A1 FOR BRASILEIRÃO

Flamengo performed again this Friday afternoon at Ninho do Urubu, seeking to recover after their early elimination in the Libertadores. The next challenge will be on Sunday, at 8pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, against Athletico-PR, for the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship.

In the replay, only the players who did not start the 0-0 draw with the Peñarol participated in training on the field, while the starters carried out regenerative activities in the gym. Tite will still define the lineup in Saturday's training, but there is the possibility of a mixed team being used on Sunday.

The most worn-out athletes will undergo assessments and may be spared, aiming for next week's clash against Corinthians, valid for the semi-final of the Copa do Brasil. The CBF has not yet confirmed the date and time, but the game will take place on Wednesday or Thursday.

Michael also trained this Friday. The striker is in the final stages of transition after an injury to his right thigh and is being prepared to return in the match against Corinthians.

The team's probable lineup includes: Rossi; Varela (Wesley), Fabrício Bruno (David Luiz), Léo Pereira (Cleiton) and Alex Sandro (Ayrton Lucas); Léo Ortiz (Evertton Araújo), De la Cruz (Pulgar), Arrascaeta (Alcaraz) and Gerson (Lorran); Plata (Matheus Gonçalves) and Bruno Henrique (Gabigol).

Currently, Flamengo occupies fourth place in the Brasileirão with 45 points, 11 behind leader Botafogo, having one game less. The mathematical chances of winning the title are just 1%, but the team needs to remain in the G-4 to guarantee a place in the 2025 Libertadores.

Despite Flamengo being the team with the biggest budget in South America, the club continues to disappoint its fans. This is because Mais Querido is out of the Libertadores and with only a 1% chance of winning the Brasileirão. For Raul Plasmann, Rubro-Negro's idol, the board and Tite are to blame.

"Flamengo is doing well on the financial side, but I see Flamengo being very poorly managed on the football side. If there is a capable and competent team in finances, they have a very weak team to manage football. It's not a criticism, but a comment from someone who is in the field. two Libertadores", said Raul.

"The 2019 team was supposed to be world champion. It was amateurish attitudes from the team that runs football, the department is weak. Flamengo, it's a shame. The team off the field is responsible for the team on the field, it's the team that decides who will be on the field. low, insecure, plays a good game, the next day, a bad game. You can tell me: 'the team changes a lot'. It doesn't matter", added Raul.

In the last two matches, Tite decided to send different teams to the field. Against Grêmio, Mais Querido played with 11 substitutes. Now against Peñarol, with the starters. The strategy was frustrating, as Rubro-Negro did not win in any of the games.

"In football, no matter how much you change, the team has a temperament. We also changed in our time, just We played with that team that was world champion three times. But the team's temperament was different. The atmosphere was the same. /p>

"I'm going to say something here: it seems like something... I'm not even going to say childish, because childish has its timing, it has its value. I don't want to belittle it. It's unbelievable, unbelievable that he would do a relay. If he did it with a strong reason, it's acceptable, but do you change a goalkeeper? I know you know, but just so we remember: the guy who scores the goal is extremely important, he can lead to the title... But you can also be world champion with a 0 to 0. The goal is important to save too. It's more important to defend than to score", concluded the world champion goalkeeper for Flamengo.

Flamengo hired Gonzalo Plata as a reinforcement to form the squad, but the striker quickly became a starter due to injuries to Michael, Luiz Araújo, Pedro and Everton Cebolinha. In the confrontation against Peñarol, last Thursday (26), the athlete played his third game at the club. Still without goals or assists, Plata became the target of criticism from Gerson "Canhotinha de Ouro", champion of the 1970 World Cup.

"Who hired Plata, huh?! He hired him badly. He, on the other hand, Right, he didn't make a move. Without me knowing Flamengo's base and reserves to the letter... There are 380 players at Flamengo who are better than Plata. The boy who joined, Matheus Gonçalves, plays the boy. a lot of boys.” He plays more than the other one", said Gerson 'Canhotinha'.

Gonzalo Plata played for around 58 minutes against Peñarol, being replaced in the second half by Gabigol. While he was on the field, the attacker missed a great chance, alone, inside the small area, after a header from Bruno Henrique.

One of the biggest controversies after Mais Querido's elimination was Tite's statement, who said that the team would score at Peñarol in Montevideo. The coach was charged by fans and journalists and assured that it was not a promise, but a prediction. Canhotinha de Ouro also spoke about the topic.

"Inside the field, I could have reorganized the tactical scheme, which went wrong, in my opinion. Tite said here: “no problem, there We have ample chances of winning the game, scoring a goal. They can charge.” returns to the field this Sunday (29), when it hosts Athletico-PR for the 28th round of the Brasileirão. It is possible that Gonzalo Plata will play as a starter again. The match will be at 8pm, at Maracanã.