Matheus Cunha takes a stand in an interview

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:

Tite, current coach of Flamengo, was direct when commenting on the tight calendar of Brazilian football and the idea of ​​sparing players amid the intense sequence of games. In a recent interview, he spared no criticism of the current competition model in the country and made it clear that, contrary to what many suggest, he has no intention of arbitrarily preserving players in decisive moments.

Tite's main criticism revolves around the excess of games throughout the season. The Brazilian calendar is historically tight, with competitions such as the Brazilian Championship, the Copa do Brasil, the Libertadores, and, in years of the World Cup or Copa América, there is still the weight of international team tournaments. This scenario means that clubs, especially the big ones, have to deal with an exorbitant number of matches in a short space of time, which increases the wear and tear on players and, consequently, the risk of injuries.

However, despite this situation, the coach made it clear that it is not in his plans to adopt a strategy of rotating players indiscriminately. "No one spares", said Tite, in response to suggestions that Flamengocould rest its main athletes in some games. He highlighted that sparing athletes without a clear justification, just with the intention of preserving the squad, would be a risky attitude, especially considering the pressure for immediate results in a club of Flamengo's magnitude.

Tite was also emphatic when explaining that, when making decisions about the lineup, he takes into account several factors, including the physical condition of the athletes, the importance of the match and the team's long-term planning. "Am I going to save my job? Put my job at risk?", joked the coach, highlighting that, in a club with pressure and expectations like Flamengo, a bad result can be costly, including a coach's position.

The Brazilian football calendar is one of the most intense in the world. While in many European countries clubs play, on average, between 45 and 50 matches per season, in Brazil this number easily exceeds 70, considering all competitions. Furthermore, long trips between states, climate variations and the difference in the quality of lawns contribute to the wear and tear of athletes.