RODINEI REMEMBERS FLAMENGO TIMES AND MEETS BRUNO HENRIQUE DURING HOLIDAYS

In the next round of the Brazilian Championship, on the 5th, Flamengo will face Bahia at Fonte Nova. However, on Sunday night (29), the opponent is Athletico-PR, at Maracanã, at 8pm (Brasília time). For this match, two Mengão players are suspended: Léo Ortiz and Carlinhos, but only Ortiz was listed for the game, as Carlinhos was sent off in the last round.

If Léo Ortiz receives a yellow card against Athletico, he will not be able to play against Bahia in Salvador next weekend. Despite the risk, coach Tite will choose to choose the defender as a starter at Maracanã. Flamengo's likely team against Athletico is: Agustín Rossi, Wesley, David Luiz, Léo Ortiz and Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, Alcaraz, Gerson and Matheus Gonçalves; Plata and Gabigol.

Léo Ortiz was also a starter in the match against Peñarol, on Thursday (26), for the Libertadores, but acted improvised as a midfielder. The player has stood out in this role since arriving at Flamengo. Now, Tite returns to select him in his original position as defender.

Likely Athletico-PR to face Flamengo

While Flamengo will make eight changes to its lineup, coach Lucho González lost midfielder Gabriel, who is suspended. Athletico-PR's possible team for the game at Maracanã is: Mycael; Léo Godoy (Madson), Kaique Rocha, Thiago Heleno and Esquivel; Erick, Christian and Zapelli; Cuello, Canobbio and Mastriani (Pablo).

Signed in 2024, Léo Ortiz has already scored a goal with the Flamengo. He contributed to Mengão's 2-0 victory over Palestino at Maracanã in the Libertadores group stage, playing as a defender.

Flamengo has a valuable asset for this Sunday's game (29) against Athletico-PR. Despite going through a complicated phase, Gabigol has an impressive record against the opponent. Throughout his career, the striker has faced the team from Paraná on 22 occasions, scoring 11 goals.

With 11 goals scored, Athletico-PR is the third team that has conceded the most goals from Gabigol. Fluminense and Palmeiras are at the top of the list, both with 14 goals conceded. Furthermore, the striker left his mark in decisive moments against the team from Paraná, such as in the 2022 Libertadores final, when Flamengo won 1-0, with a goal from number 99. The data is from 'SofaScore'.

GABIGOL'S BIGGEST VICTIMS:

Fluminense and Palmeiras: 14 goals

Athletico-PR: 11 goals

Vasco, São Paulo, Internacional and Santos : 8 goals

Grêmio, Corinthians, Bahia and Fortaleza: 7 goals

Atlético-MG: 6 goals

GABIGOL SITUATION AT FLAMENGO< With a contract until December 31, 2024, Gabigol's stay at Flamengo becomes increasingly uncertain. The red-black board does not seem to be willing to renew the player. It is worth remembering that Flamengo offered a one-year contract proposal with a 50% salary increase, but the striker refused.

NEXT COMMITMENT

With Gabigol training in the first team, the < a href="https://gazetadourubu.com/" target="_blank">Flamengo faces Athletico-PR this Sunday (29), at 8pm (Brasília time). The game will be at Maracanã, for the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship. Currently, Flamengo occupies fourth place in the table, with 45 points, and is looking for a victory to get closer to the fight for the title.

With several casualties in the offensive sector, Bruno Henrique, 33 years old, will be the main name in Flamengo's attack in the next matches. The striker, who stands out for his long-standing partnership with Arrascaeta, believes that this harmony will be fundamental for the team to maintain its good performance in the competitions it competes in, such as the Brazilian Championship, the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil.

"We are the players at the front. Arrascaeta is a classic midfielder, who knows how to create plays and finish. Being close to him increases the chances of scoring and assisting. With his quality and the more than six years we have played together, we understand each other just by looking at each other", stated Bruno Henrique in an interview with ESPN.

IMPORTANT MISSINGS IN THE OFFENSIVE SECTOR

Flamengo will no longer have Pedro and Everton Cebolinha until the end of the season. Furthermore, Michael and Luiz Araújo are only expected to return to the pitch in the final stretch of 2024. Gabigol, who also faces physical problems, has been used less frequently. With this series of absences, the leading role falls to Bruno Henrique, who has the mission of leading the red and black attack at a decisive moment of the season.

REINFORCEMENTS AND CAST OPTIONS

To make up the offensive sector, Mais Querido also has newcomers Gonzalo Plata and Carlinhos, as well as young promises from the club's youth categories. Despite the losses, the expectation is that Bruno Henrique's experience and quality will be enough to keep the team competitive in competitions.