Chelsea coach is 'melted' for the Flamengo fans: "They are ..."

This Sunday night (03) promises to be full of strong emotions for the red-black fans. Flamengo faces Ceará, at 6:30 pm (Brasília time) , at Arena Castelão, for the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship. For the clash, coach Filipe Luís will have eight absences and three players suspended .

FLAMENGO'S SHORTAGES

Rubro-Negro has a long list of absences for the match, and will not be able to count on : Erick Pulgar (surgery on his right foot), Danilo (injury on his right thigh), Michael (pain in his left ankle), Everton Cebolinha (tendinitis), Luiz Araújo (preserved due to load control), Matheus Cunha (patellar tendinitis in his left knee), Pedro and Wallace Yan (suspended due to a third yellow card).

HANGING PLAYERS

Three athletes enter the field with the risk of suspension for the next round. Allan, Jorginho and Léo Pereira are suspended with two yellow cards and, if they receive the third, they will be out of the duel against Mirassol, on Saturday (09).

FLAMENGO GAINS REINFORCEMENTS

Despite the absences, Filipe Luís will have important reinforcements. For the first time in the 2025 Brasileirão , Saúl Ñíguez, Emerson Royal, Samuel Lino, and Victor Hugo were included in the squad, and they are available again. The number 16 has a good chance of starting this match.

TRANSMISSION AND CLASSIFICATION

The match between Ceará and Flamengo will be broadcast live on Premiere (pay-per-view). Flamengo leads the Brasileirão with 36 points from 16 games , while Cruzeiro, in second place, has 34 points and a game in hand. Ceará is in 10th place with 21 points.

Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (03) to face Ceará, at Arena Castelão, for the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match is scheduled for 6:30 pm (Brasília time) and promises a full house in Fortaleza .

WHERE TO WATCH THE GAME?

The match between Ceará and Flamengo will not be broadcast on Rede Globo , which has opted to show the match between Botafogo and Cruzeiro. However, fans can watch the match live on broadcast TV on Record, as well as on YouTube via CazéTV, or on Premiere (pay-per-view).

HOW IS FLAMENGO DOING IN THE TABLE?

After beating Atlético-MG in the last round, Flamengo took the lead in the Brasileirão with 36 points . Cruzeiro, who lost to Ceará, dropped to second place with 34 points. Flamengo will be looking to maintain its top spot with another away win.

FLAMENGO'S SQUAD SQUADS FOR THE MATCH

Coach Filipe Luís is still dealing with a series of important absences . Striker Michael is out of the game with ankle pain, as is midfielder Erick Pulgar, who is recovering from a fractured right foot suffered at the Club World Cup.

Midfielder Nicolás De La Cruz is still recovering from his physical condition and will also be unavailable. Forwards Everton Cebolinha and Luiz Araújo were rested due to pressure management . Pedro and Wallace Yan are also out, but due to accumulated yellow cards.

Flamengo has a big challenge this Sunday (03), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), against Ceará, at Arena Castelão, for the 18th round of the Brasileirão. The expectation is total pressure on Rubro-Negro , since all tickets were sold in advance - a full house guaranteed in Fortaleza.

Flamengo , the current leader of the competition, faces a Ceará side buoyed by their victory over Cruzeiro in the last round . Coach Léo Condé is expected to maintain the core of the team that surprised at Mineirão, betting on repeating the same formula to try to knock out another favorite.

CEARÁ'S PROBABLE LINEUP

With no new injuries reported, the Northeastern team is expected to field the following players : Bruno Ferreira; Fabiano Souza, Marcos Victor, Willian Machado, and Matheus Bahia; Richardson, Dieguinho, and Lourenço; Pedro Henrique, Galeano, and Pedro Raul. Defender Luiz Otávio, in the final stages of physical reconditioning, remains the only player missing.

SQUADS AND REINFORCEMENTS AT FLAMENGO

Flamengo , meanwhile, will have two key absences. Goalkeeper Matheus Cunha was diagnosed with patellar tendinitis in his left knee and is out. Striker Luiz Araújo will be rested due to physical activity management . As a result, youngster Léo Nannetti, a standout from the youth academy, was included at the last minute and joins Dyogo Alves as an option in goal. Agustín Rossi will start.

Meanwhile, Filipe Luís will have important reinforcements. Midfielder Victor Hugo, back at the club after a stint in Turkish football, is available again. New signings Saúl Ñíguez, Samuel Lino, and Emerson Royal are also available for the match —all expected to make their second appearances for the red-and-black team. Strikers Michael and Everton Cebolinha, midfielder Nico De La Cruz, and defender Danilo are out due to fitness issues.