WHAT ARE TITE’S OPTIONS FOR ZAGA IN THE CARIOCA FINAL? CHECK OUT FLAMENGO'S 'DOUBLES'

Flamengo continues to wait for the return of Arrascaeta, who has been sidelined since August 18th, when he suffered an injury to his left thigh. The number 14 is being monitored by the club's Medical Department and his return to the field is still uncertain for the decisive clash against Bahia, valid for the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil. The game will take place on September 12th, at 9:45 pm, at Maracanã.

Arrascaeta has not yet started the transition phase to the field, remaining under the care of Flamengo's medical department. With less than a week to go until the match, the club is racing against time to count on the return of the Uruguayan star. According to journalist Venê Casagrande, the player is in the final stage of recovery and there is an expectation that he will begin the physical transition next Monday (09).

IMPACT OF INJURIES IN THE SECOND HALF

An undisputed starter at Flamengo and frequently called up for the Uruguayan national team, Arrascaeta has faced physical problems throughout the seasons, especially in the second half, when the calendar becomes more intense. Since 2019, the midfielder has suffered 70% of his injuries after June, totaling 20 absences for Flamengo, 14 of them from that period.

In the first match of the quarter-finals against Bahia, Flamengo won 1-0 away from home, with a goal from Bruno Henrique. With this result, Rubro-Negro can even draw at Maracanã to guarantee their place in the tournament's semifinals. The team hopes to count on Arrascaeta, but is also preparing alternatives to make up for his possible absence.

Flamengo still has some doubts for the clash, but the likely lineup has names like: Rossi, Wesley (Varela), Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas, Pulgar (Léo Ortiz), Allan, Gerson, Luiz Araújo, Bruno Henrique and Gabigol (Arrascaeta). 

Friday (6) marked a historic moment for American football fans in Brazil. For the first time, the NFL held an official game in the country, pitting the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers teams against each other. The event, which took place at the Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo, celebrated the expansion of the American league into Brazilian territory.

The Philadelphia Eagles emerged victorious in the duel against the Green Bay Packers, with a thrilling 34-29 comeback, being the first team to triumph on Brazilian soil in an official NFL game.

Among the highlights of the event, Eagles player C.J. Gardner-Johnson took advantage of the post-game moment to interact with fans and, in a symbolic gesture, received a Flamengo Imperadores shirt, a team from American football linked to the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.

The history of Flamengo in American football began on May 17, 2013, when the club signed a partnership with the Imperadores team, resulting in the creation of Flamengo Futebol Americano. Since then, the red-black club has stood out on the national sports scene. In 2017, the team adopted the name Flamengo Imperadores, consolidating itself as one of the great forces of American football in Brazil.

In 2018, Flamengo Imperadores won the Carioca American Football Championship, beating Vasco in the final and asserting its supremacy in the sport in the state.

In addition to seeking supremacy in American football, Flamengo continues its successful campaign in field football. The club is in contention for the three main titles of the season: Copa do Brasil, Libertadores and Campeonato Brasileiro. The team's next commitment is for the Copa do Brasil, where they will face Bahia in the quarter-finals, on Thursday (12), at Maracanã.

The attacker Carlinhos should be Flamengo's starter in the classic against Botafogo this Sunday (18), in the 23rd round of the Brazilian Championship. The number 22 must take over the space left by Pedro and Gabigol. Playing against the Rio rival brings back good memories for the player. In this year's Carioca he scored two goals against Botafogo.

At the time, Carlinhos was wearing the Nova Iguaçu number 9 shirt. The match was held in February, at the Engenhão stadium, in the sixth round of the tournament. Botafogo led 2-0, but Carlinhos led his team's reaction by scoring two goals. In the end, the match ended in a 2-2 draw.

The game against Botafogo will be Carlinhos' fourth as a starter with the Rubro-Negro shirt. He was part of Tite's lineup against Palmeiras, Atlético-MG and São Paulo. Against the Minas Gerais club, number 22 scored the second goal of the game.

Without Pedro, Gabigol and Everton Cebolinha, Mengão's number 22 should gain a sequence in Tite's starting team . In addition to the match against Botafogo, he should be selected in the starting eleven against Bolívar, on Thursday (22), in the return game of the round of 16.

As Pedro and Gabigol only return in September , Carlinhos should also play against: Bragantino (25); in the first game of the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil (27, 28 or 29); and Corinthians (01/09).

Signed by Mais Querido after being second top scorer in the Campeonato Carioca, striker Carlinhos projected to win all the titles that Flamengo has to compete for this season. The projection was made during 'Carona com Smigol', a FLATV program.

In the conversation, he said that “this energy of ours, this vibration of ours in each training session and each game, everyone donating to the maximum, so nothing is better than finishing as champions of the Brazilian Championship, we will achieve that, God willing. Let's look for all possible titles.”