It went out! Check out Flamengo's lineup to face Peñarol

Vítor Pereira, former Corinthians coach and Flamengo, reflected on his professional choices and admitted that the decision to play in Brazilian football was not the right one in sporting terms. In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper "A Bola", he commented that, despite the financial gains, going to Brazil did not bring the expected results for his career and that, with more patience, he could have followed other paths in Europe.

Pereira began his career in Brazil when he took command of Corinthians in 2022, but his time there was marked by ups and downs. He faced challenges such as adapting to the local style of play, the intense pace of competitions and constant pressure for results. In the end, he was unable to win major titles and decided to end his stay at the São Paulo club at the end of that year. FLAMENGO LIVES IN THE PAST OF VITOR PEREIRA 

< The coach highlighted that, at the time, opportunities arose from clubs in more consolidated markets on the European scene, such as England and Spain. However, the financial attractiveness of Brazilian football ended up weighing on his decision. "There were some steps I shouldn't have taken," he said. Choosing Brazil, according to him, was a mistake considering his long-term career ambitions.

In addition, Pereira faced severe criticism during his short spell at Flamengoin 2023, where the pressure for results and the club's troubled environment made it difficult for him to stay. He ended up being fired a few months after taking office, unable to impress his style and meet the expectations of the board and fans. The scenario, for the coach, showed that a more careful analysis of the challenges and reality of Brazilian football would have been more appropriate.

The confrontation between Flamengo Peñarol for the Libertadores is decisive not only for the club's future in the competition, but also for coach Tite. The match became a kind of “early end” for the coach, who sees his stay in charge of the team threatened. Although the red and black board has chosen to support the coach and does not intend to fire him before the quarter-finals, an elimination tonight, combined with inconsistent performance in the Brazilian Championship, could change the scenario.

The expectation of evolution under Tite's command was high. Hired to give the team a new direction, the coach arrived surrounded by hopes of improvement, especially in a squad as qualified as Flamengo's. However, the results in the Brasileirão so far are below expectations, leaving the team far from fighting for the title and increasing the pressure on the coach. If there is no progress in the Libertadores, it will be difficult to justify the continuation of work that has not reached the goals initially set. FLAMENGO HAS A DEFINED POINT OF VIEW 

The Flamengo de Tite has fluctuated in the Brasileirão. Despite having a strong squad, the team has difficulty imposing itself against theoretically weaker opponents and is unable to present regularity. The low performance has been a cause for concern within the club and is also the target of criticism from the fans. The lack of solid and consistent results has placed the team in an uncomfortable position in the table and increased questions about the coach's work.

This situation in the national championship contrasts with initial expectations. When Tite was hired, the idea was that he would bring greater stability to the team, especially in defensive terms. However, this improvement was not seen, and the team continues to suffer from recurring failures in defense, in addition to creation problems in the midfield. With Rubro-Negro far from the fight for the title and even the classification zone for the Libertadores next year, the risk of not achieving the planned objectives is real, and the responsibility lies with the technical command.

This Monday (16), Flamengo officially informed Luiz Araújo's injury, which occurred in the classic against Vasco last Sunday (15). The striker was injured and, after examinations, the club's medical department confirmed the severity of the injury. With this, the player is out of the important clash against Peñarol in the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

Mengão returns to the field this Thursday (19), at 7pm, at Maracanã, to face Peñarol in the first game of the Libertadores quarter-finals. The Brazilian team is looking for a good result at home to take advantage in the second leg, which will be played at the Campeón del Siglo Stadium, in Montevideo, on September 26th.

< p>IMPORTANT RETURNS AND CHANGES IN THE CAST

For the match against Peñarol, the coach will count on the return of De la Cruz, recovered from injury, and the return of Ayrton Lucas to the left side. Furthermore, Gonzalo Plata will be Luiz Araújo's replacement in the attack, seeking to strengthen the red and black offensive.

Mais Querido's probable lineup for the decisive clash should include: Rossi; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; Erick Pulgar, De La Cruz and Gerson; Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique and Gonzalo Plata. The team is going through adjustments, but the intention is to guarantee a positive result at home to reach the return game in Uruguay more calmly.

UNFAVORABLE HISTORY AGAINST PEÑAROL

Despite the fans' expectations, the recent history between Flamengo and Peñarol does not favor Rubro-Negro. The teams have already faced each other six times, with four victories for the Uruguayans, one draw and only one victory for Mengão. The last meeting was in the 2019 Libertadores group stage, when Flamengo lost 1-0 at Maracanã and drew goalless in Montevideo.