Follow the leader! Flamengo striker, Pedro leads Brazil's artillery ranking in 2024 - Check it out

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:

Gabigol and Libertadores form a highly successful equation at Flamengo. Together, they participated in the competition five times, reached three finals and won it twice. Guess who scored the club's four goals in the decisions? The number 10 shirt, who is the top scorer among Brazilians who competed in the race for the most coveted cup in South America.

With 31 goals (one for Santos and the rest for Flamengo), Gabigol is six behind the Uruguayans Fernando Morena and Pedro Rocha, who share second place in the general ranking. Asked if vice-leadership overall is an achievable goal for the 2024 Libertadores, the idol is certain that it is, but makes it clear that he needs more opportunities. In the current season, he started just twice. Last year, Tite didn't start any matches.

"I think it's possible, I hope that happens, knowing that we have to play as many games as possible for that to happen. And I'm also 28 years old ( in fact it will be 28 only in August). So, if I stay at Flamengo or stay in Brazil, this will happen naturally", he said in an interview recorded during Content Day, at Conmebol Libertadores.

Still in the interview with Conmebol, Gabigol was asked if he believes in the possibility of taking the 23 goals difference in relation to the Ecuadorian Alberto Spencer, absolute leader, with 54 scored and Peñarol's idol. He stated that he thinks, yes, at the top, but again he conditioned his goal on remaining in Brazilian football.

"Of course it's inevitable that you aim for that, I have this year left on my contract. I don't know what it's going to be like. If I stay in Brazil, I think it's possible. Everything is a question of adaptation, of being able to play together with the team and being able to go as far as possible. The goal is always to be champion", continued Gabigol, who has a contract with Flamengo until December.

Regarding his attempt to be a goalscorer in the Libertadores for the third time - he achieved it in 2019 and 2021 -, he insisted that he needs more minutes, but he tried to put collective goals at the forefront.