Palmeiras wins and Flamengo drops to 2nd place in the Brasileirão

Flamengo has a big challenge this Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Ceará, at Arena Castelão, for the 18th round of the Brasileirão. The expectation is total pressure on Rubro-Negro , since all tickets were sold in advance - a full house guaranteed in Fortaleza.

Flamengo , the current leader of the competition, faces a Ceará side buoyed by their victory over Cruzeiro in the last round . Coach Léo Condé is expected to maintain the core of the team that surprised at Mineirão, betting on repeating the same formula to try to knock out another favorite.

CEARÁ'S PROBABLE LINEUP

With no new injuries reported, the Northeastern team is expected to field the following players : Bruno Ferreira; Fabiano Souza, Marcos Victor, Willian Machado, and Matheus Bahia; Richardson, Dieguinho, and Lourenço; Pedro Henrique, Galeano, and Pedro Raul. Defender Luiz Otávio, in the final stages of physical reconditioning, remains the only player missing.

SQUADS AND REINFORCEMENTS AT FLAMENGO

Flamengo , meanwhile, will have two key absences. Goalkeeper Matheus Cunha was diagnosed with patellar tendinitis in his left knee and is out. Striker Luiz Araújo will be rested due to physical activity management . As a result, youngster Léo Nannetti, a standout from the youth academy, was included at the last minute and joins Dyogo Alves as an option in goal. Agustín Rossi will start.

Meanwhile, Filipe Luís will have important reinforcements. Midfielder Victor Hugo, back at the club after a stint in Turkish football, is available again. New signings Saúl Ñíguez, Samuel Lino, and Emerson Royal are also available for the match —all expected to make their second appearances for the red-and-black team. Strikers Michael and Everton Cebolinha, midfielder Nico De La Cruz, and defender Danilo are out due to fitness issues.

Leader of the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (03) to face Ceará, away from home, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Castelão. The team led by Filipe Luís seeks to maintain the top of the table , but will have to deal with important absences for the match of the 18th round.

IMPORTANT RETURNS IN THE FLAMENGO LINEUP

Meanwhile, Filipe Luís will have some players back who were rested for the Copa do Brasil clash against Atlético-MG. Arrascaeta, who wasn't even included in the squad, and Jorginho, who didn't make the bench, will return to the starting lineup this Sunday. Therefore, Flamengo 's likely starting lineup to face Ceará is : Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Ayrton Lucas (Alex Sandro); Allan, Jorginho, and Arrascaeta; Bruno Henrique, Samuel Lino, and Gonzalo Plata.

The coach also has some solid options on the bench. Juninho could appear in attack, while Matheus Gonçalves, who started in the last game, could return to midfield . In defense, Uruguayan Viña remains an alternative, and Spaniard Saúl Ñíguez, who made a strong debut against Galo, is also among those named.

EMBARRASSMENTS

Among the absentees are Danilo, who remains off the roster, and Luiz Araújo, who was left out due to fitness monitoring . Erick Pulgar, still recovering from an injury, is also out, as are Pedro and Wallace Yan, both suspended. Another absence is goalkeeper Matheus Cunha, diagnosed with patellar tendonitis in his left knee.

THE GAME

The clash between Flamengo and Ceará for the 18th round of the Brasileirão is this Sunday (3) at 6:30 pm (Brasília time) at Arena Castelão, in Fortaleza. The match will be broadcast by Record, on Open TV, by CazéTV, on YouTube, and by Premiere , on pay-per-view.

After a promising and praised debut , right-back Wesley, formerly of Flamengo, received his first criticism in Italy . This Saturday (02), after starting for Roma in the 2-0 victory over Lens, in a pre-season friendly, the 21-year-old was the target of negative comments from the newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

Corriere dello Sport on Wesley, ex-Flamengo: "he's not yet the prodigy full-back"

Wesley played 71 minutes in the match and, despite participating actively, was given a 5.5 rating by the publication. The newspaper questioned whether his performance justified Roma's significant investment of €25 million (approximately R$160 million): "They said he would arrive in top form, as he had been playing in Brazil. But Wesley is not yet the prodigious full-back Roma invested €25 million in ," wrote the sports daily.

NEWSPAPER SEES POTENTIAL, BUT EXPECTED MORE

Despite its critical tone, Corriere dello Sport acknowledged that it was too early to make a definitive judgment. " We're only in August football ," the publication mused, referring to the preseason. However, it emphasized that "the spark everyone was hoping for hasn't yet appeared" in the first two tests.

On the other hand, the newspaper highlighted the player's offensive potential and left a sign of optimism: " When he advances, Wesley continues to show an untapped potential that, if well worked, can turn into dynamite."

FEATURED IN THE PREMIERE

The review contrasts with the assessment made by the same outlet after the full-back's debut in the 3-0 victory over Cannes. On that occasion, Wesley came on in the second half and was described as "the most anticipated player," receiving praise for his dedication on the field: "He runs, runs, and runs some more. Up and down without stopping. He drew applause from the fans," the newspaper wrote after the first game.

FANS APPROVE WESLEY'S PERFORMANCE

While the press is cautious, Roma fans are excited about the Brazilian full-back, formerly of Flamengo . On social media, several fans praised his speed, strength, and chemistry with midfielder Soulé:

“Half an hour of Lens vs Roma and I can say that Wesley is probably the best right-back in the world due to his compatibility with Soulé,” wrote one fan.

"If Soulé understands how to pass the ball at the right time to Wesley, Roma will be very successful . Wesley is extremely fast and strong," commented another.