Is Flamengo playing today? Check out the details of the match against Cruzeiro

The dispute between Flamengo and Libra remains intense. After Flamengo obtained an injunction blocking part of the transfers related to the Brasileirão's TV rights, the league filed an appeal with the Rio de Janeiro court in an attempt to overturn the ruling in favor of the Rio de Janeiro club.

Libra's argument is that former president Rodolfo Landim had approved the payment distribution method. However, the current president, Luiz Eduardo Baptista (BAP), reviewed the terms and believes the proposed model is detrimental to Flamengo .

Flamengo in a statement regarding the agreement with Libra: "It is false that any definition of audience percentages was agreed upon"

According to the league, the new administration's stance was motivated by political issues and disagreements with the previous administration . Information about the appeal was released by journalist Rodrigo Mattos of UOL.

FLAMENGO'S POSITION

In an official statement released this Wednesday (01), Flamengo published material in the format of “facts and fakes” to clarify its view on the controversy over the distribution of revenue. Among the points highlighted, the club stated:

"It's false that any audience share definition was agreed upon. The Statute is silent on this point. Libra's general assembly had to deliberate on the existing gap , but no conclusion was reached. Flamengo voted against the proposal, and even so, Globo made payments based on the scenario presented by Libra, which is illegal because it violates the unanimity requirement set forth in the Statute."

" It's false that Flamengo denies having signed a contract and now wants to change the terms . The call for Libra's General Assembly in May 2025 was clear: the vote was intended to define scenarios for the division of audience revenue from the sale of broadcast rights."

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The current board's main disagreement concerns the criteria for dividing the audience share. Bap believes it's unfair that clubs with much lower appeal , like Bragantino, receive the same percentage as Flamengo, which attracts a much larger audience.

Without an agreement, Flamengo appealed to the courts and obtained a freeze on funds that would have been transferred to other Libra clubs . The decision provoked a strong reaction: Palmeiras, São Paulo, Atlético-MG, Santos, and Vitória issued official statements harshly criticizing the Flamengo board's stance.

This Thursday (02), Flamengo and Cruzeiro face off in a decisive duel for the 26th round of the Brasileirão . At Maracanã, the leader receives the vice-leader in a clash that could change the course of the title dispute due to the table situation.

The Minas Gerais team arrives with a depleted squad. Coach Leonardo Jardim will be without defender Luís Sinisterra, who is recovering from a right thigh strain. Cruzeiro will also be without full-back Fagner, who is recovering from a fractured fibula.

With that, Cruzeiro's likely starting lineup is : Cássio; William, Fabrício Bruno, Villalba, and Kaiki; Lucas Romero, Lucas Silva, and Matheus Pereira; Christian, Wanderson, and Kaio Jorge. Cruzeiro's idol, Gabigol, is expected to start on the bench.

Flamengo , led by Filipe Luís, is expected to field the following players: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Danilo and Alex Sandro; Saúl, Jorginho and Arrascaeta; Gonzalo Plata, Samuel Lino and Pedro. There is also a chance that Léo Pereira will be rested due to the intense sequence of matches.

SCENARIO ON THE TABLE

Flamengo leads with 54 points, four ahead of Cruzeiro. With a win, the Red-Blacks could open up a seven-point lead and still have a game in hand against Sport , with a chance to widen the gap to as many as 10 points.

WHERE TO WATCH

The duel between Flamengo and Cruzeiro, leader and runner-up, will be at 8:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the 26th round of the Brazilian Championship . The match will be broadcast by SporTV (closed TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view), with Ramon Abatti Abel (SC) as the referee.

After a stint at Flamengo, Fabrício Bruno has reclaimed his place at Cruzeiro and will start in defense . He returns at a crucial point in the season and promises to be a key player in the defensive organization.

For the duel, the coach should send the following formation to the field: Anderson; William, João Marcelo, Fabrício Bruno and Marlon; Lucas Romero, Ramiro and Matheus Pereira; Robert, Arthur Gomes and Dinenno.

AND GABIGOL?

The match promises to be a thrilling affair for Flamengo fans. Flamengo's longtime idol, Gabigol, returns to Maracanã in a new phase of his career, playing for Cruzeiro. In the first half of the season, the striker was decisive, scoring the winning goal for Raposa, who won 2-1 at Mineirão Stadium.

Therefore, the Minas Gerais team will once again have Gabigol available for the match , who served a suspension, and Luis Sinisterra, who has recovered from a right thigh muscle injury. Both were included in the squad, but they are expected to start the match as reserves.

FLAMENGO AND CRUZEIRO

The duel at Maracanã pits the top two teams in the Brasileirão against each other . Flamengo leads the competition with 54 points, while Cruzeiro is close behind with 50. A victory for the Minas Gerais team could narrow the gap in the standings and further intensify the title race.