CRICIÚMA COACH PROPOSES A "DIRTY" GAME TO FACE FLAMENGO THIS SATURDAY

Coach Tite, from Flamengo, confirmed that Gabigol, one of the club's recent idols, now occupies third place in the team's attack. The decision sparked discussions among fans and experts, but, according to the coach, the choice was based on technical criteria and recent performance. During a press conference, Tite was asked about the change in the attack hierarchy and explained the reasons that led him to prefer other players in front of Gabigol. “Training, games, specifically.

Carlinhos decisive against Bolívar. Carlinhos decisive against Atlético Mineiro, with a goal. Decisive against Vitória. That's why the option was made", said the coach, highlighting Carlinhos' recent performances as a key factor in his decision.

This change in command of the attack reflects Tite's management style, which values ​​performance and meritocracy. Since arriving at Flamengo, the coach has adopted a discourse that no one has a guaranteed place in the team, regardless of name or history. This can be clearly seen in this decision, in which a player like Gabigol, who was once crucial. in Flamengo's recent titles, he loses space to a colleague who is going through a good phase.

FLAMENGO HAS ITS OWN

Carlinhos, the new holder of the position, has shown himself to be decisive in important matches , as Tite highlighted. Against Bolívar, Atlético Mineiro and Vitória, he played a fundamental role in the success of Flamengo, whether with goals or participation in important plays. These factors were enough to guarantee the coach's preference in placing him as the main option in attack.

Gabigol's situation, on the other hand, seems to reflect a phase of adaptation to the new command. Although he is a renowned player and beloved by the fans, his current phase has not been as brilliant as that of other periods of his career. In training and games, according to Tite, Gabigol has not been able to stand out to the point of regaining his starting position.

Defender Léo Pereira, from Flamengo, became the target of numerous criticisms on social media after his performance in the classic against Vasco. The player was directly responsible for the opponent's equalizing goal, which generated a flood of negative comments from fans, especially on digital platforms.

The move that resulted in Vasco's goal happened at a crucial moment in the match , which intensified the red-black revolt. Many Flamengo fans took to the internet to express their frustration with the defender's failure, pointing to the defensive failure as determining the final result. In the game, which is already naturally surrounded by tension as it is a classic between two of Rio's biggest football rivals, the responsibility of maintaining a solid defense is even greater.

However, Léo Pereira made a mistake that ended up being fatal for the Flamengo. The defender was unable to clear the ball in an aerial play, allowing Vasco to reach a draw. The failure occurred 30 minutes into the second half, at a time when Flamengo seemed to control the match, despite pressure from the opponent. However, the defender's positioning error allowed Vasco's attacker to take advantage of the opportunity, scoring a goal that changed the course of the game.

As soon as the game ended, social networks became a space for rant to Flamengo fans. Various profiles, from sports influencers to ordinary fans, spared no criticism of Léo Pereira's performance. Comments such as "unacceptable" and "another decisive failure" dominated mentions of the player.

On Bluesky, the hashtag with the player's name became one of the most talked about topics, and in fan groups on WhatsApp and Facebook, the conversation revolved around the need for reinforcements in Flamengo's defense. Many stated that the team, with the ambitions it has in competitions such as the Brazilian Championship and Libertadores, cannot afford to make such simple defensive mistakes.

Dirigentes do Flamengo did not hide their discomfort with the games at altitude in the Libertadores group stage, against Millonarios, from Colombia, and Bolívar, from Bolivia. The concern has led the club to define plans for its debut at an altitude of 2,650 meters in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, and also for its commitment in La Paz, which is 3,640 meters above sea level.

Flamengo sets up different strategies for each match, depending on the difference in altitude and the tight calendar of Brazilian football. The plan is to arrive in Bogotá in advance and carry out training in the city, while the plan for La Paz foresees arrival in the city only on the day of the game.

Flamengo will face Millonarios in their debut in the Libertadores on the 2nd and April, at 7pm, at El Campín Stadium. As the match takes place between the Carioca finals, against Nova Iguaçu, the red and black delegation will travel to Colombia on Sunday (31) and train in Bogotá the day before the game. In other words, it will be around 48 hours at an altitude of 2,650 meters until the match and training to get used to the speed of the ball.

To face the 3,640 meters of La Paz, on the other hand, Flamengo's strategy will be different. The club has not yet defined the day it will go to Bolivia for the match, which takes place on April 24th, but it has already been determined that it will only arrive in the city on the day of the game. Preparation will take place in Santa Cruz de La Sierra, 400m above sea level and without altitude effects.

Preparation is normal for games at very high altitudes. The strategy of arriving shortly before the game and leaving as soon as it ends aims to reduce the effects of altitude on the athletes' bodies. This is because in places above 3,000 meters, such as La Paz, oxygen saturation is reduced by around 33%, which increases shortness of breath, headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue and possible other effects.

The plan, in fact, is the same one that Flamengo used for the game in Bolivia in 2019. On that occasion, the team went to Santa Cruz de La Sierra in advance and traveled to Oruru, at 3750m altitude, just on the day about the game. And the result was a 1-0 victory over San José in the debut of the historic campaign.