SHOT AND FALL! FLAMENGO EMBARKS ON CONFIDENCE CRISIS AFTER DEFEAT TO THE PALESTINIAN, SAYS TITE

Cruzeiro returns to the field this Monday (18), at 8 pm (Brasília time), against Mirassol , in a match valid for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match takes place at Estádio Maião and marks the beginning of the second round of the competition.

The Minas Gerais team sits second in the standings, with 37 points from 19 games, with 11 wins , four draws, and four losses. Considered one of the season's surprise packages, the Minas Gerais team is looking to maintain its strong performance to remain firmly in contention for the national title.

GABIGOL REMAINS AN OPTION

For the match against Mirassol, coach Leonardo Jardim is expected to repeat the starting lineup from the last few matches . Having failed to score in five matches, Gabigol will remain on the bench , with the possibility of coming on during the game to try to help the team.

LUXEMBOURG CRITICIZES GABIGOL

Longtime Raposa idol Vanderlei Luxemburgo spoke about Gabigol's performance during his appearance on the De Jogador para Jogador podcast. The coach was scathing in his criticism of the number 9. " Gabigol was never the player everyone thinks he is . He's a good player, but he had a moment at Flamengo under Jesus. He had two good seasons," Luxemburgo commented.

The former coach went further, citing the 2019 Copa Libertadores final. " He scored two decisive goals when River Plate had the championship won , and the coach (Marcelo Gallardo) lost. Is Memphis a star? No. Is Gabigol a star? No, he's a good player. But Kaio plays great football," he added.

After the Brazilian Championship victory over Internacional, coach Filipe Luís opened up about the physical development of Saúl , the Spanish midfielder who has been gaining ground at Mais Querido. The coach explained that the athlete's recovery requires patience , but highlighted his performance in the match played at Beira-Rio.

"Saúl had an excellent game. When he joined Flamengo , he wasn't training with any other team and was on vacation. Until he got back to fitness, I tried to give him minutes . This defensive midfielder role is so important on my team ; it's the heart of the team and demands a lot," he said at a press conference.

During the interview, Filipe Luís emphasized that it's not easy for an athlete to return to competitive rhythm after being sidelined. Still, he assessed that Saúl showed significant improvement: " It's not easy to come in and play, but I felt he was ready, and he significantly raised the team's level (against Inter)."

SAÚL ADMITS THAT HE IS NOT 100% YET

The midfielder himself also commented on his physical condition upon leaving the field. In an interview, the player revealed he was satisfied with his performance, but aware that he still needs to improve. " I felt good, but there are still a few things I need to do to be 100%. But this also gives me the confidence to help the team more with each game. We played a great, solid game. I'll feel better with each game," said Saúl.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT COMMITMENT

Rubro-Negro returns to the field this Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , at Maracanã, to face Internacional again, this time for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. The fight for a place in the quarterfinals should count on the presence of Saúl, who fights for position with Allan.

Atalanta, from Italy, remains firmly interested in signing Rodrigo Muniz, who came through the Rio de Janeiro club's youth ranks. The Italian club put forward a €35 million (approximately R$227.5 million) offer to buy the striker from Fulham, England. However, the English board declined the offer, as they expect to negotiate the striker for even higher fees.

Even without directly participating in the negotiations, Flamengo closely monitors market movements. This is because it retains 25% of the rights to any future sale of the player , in addition to the 5% stipulated by the training club mechanism.

If Atalanta's offer were accepted, the Brazilian club would pocket R$68.2 million . It's worth noting that Muniz scored in Fulham's Premier League debut, drawing the match against the Brighton club.

RODRIGO MUNIZ HAS A CONTRACT UNTIL 2026

The striker has a contract with Fulham until June 2026 and has been attracting attention from other Premier League giants. In recent months, names such as Tottenham, Newcastle, and Leeds United have emerged as potential interested parties in signing him.

FLAMENGO'S COMMITMENT

While monitoring the international market from afar, Flamengo remains focused on the ongoing competitions. The team led by Filipe Luís takes the field this Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), against Internacional, at Maracanã, for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores.