Peñarol announces reinforcement from former Botafogo before clash against Flamengo

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:

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) announced that Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela will be responsible for refereeing the next match of Flamengofor the Copa Libertadores da América. The game, scheduled to take place at Maracanã, will be against Peñarol, a traditional Uruguayan football team. Jesús Valenzuela, who is already known on the South American scene, was appointed to lead the decisive clash in the group stage of the tournament. His choice by Conmebol reinforces the standard of selecting experienced referees for games of great importance, especially in the Libertadores, where matches tend to be highly contested and charged with emotion.

Jesús Valenzuela has stood out in recent years as one of the main referees in South America. The Venezuelan has an established career in international football, having refereed several important matches, both in club competitions and national team tournaments. In terms of experience, Valenzuela has already been present at Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana games, in addition to being part of the referee panel at Copa América. His performance is generally marked by rigidity in the application of rules and a firm stance on the field, characteristics that have made him a recurring choice of Conmebol for high-pressure games.

Choosing a referee in a competition like the Libertadores is not a simple task. Arbitration plays a crucial rolel, as the tournament is known for its high level of competitiveness, fierce rivalries and pressure both on and off the field. A refereeing error can completely change the course of a match, especially in decisive moments such as group stage and knockout matches.

Valenzuela, with his experience in high-level matches, brings a guarantee that the game will be conducted fairly and within the rules. However, as in every match, the expectation of fans and clubs is that the refereeing is as impartial as possible and avoids direct interference in the result.