Flamengo takes the field this Sunday (30th) at 4 PM against Botafogo at the Maracanã in a decisive Brasileirão clash. The team aims to close the gap with the league leaders.
Flamengo is turning its attention to another Rio de Janeiro derby in the Brasileirão. This Sunday (30th), the Rubro-Negro hosts Botafogo at the sacred Maracanã stadium in a crucial match for the team’s league aspirations.
With kickoff set for 4 PM (Brasília time), the team coached by Leonardo Jardim is seeking three points to reduce the distance to the top of the championship.
Currently, Flamengo sits in second place in the Brazilian Serie A with 45 points, five behind leader Palmeiras. Their rival, Botafogo, is in 12th place with 30 points.
The derby takes on an urgent tone for the Flamengo squad, which needs to maintain consistency to stay in the title race.
Absences and Returns for the Rubro-Negro Squad
Preparations for the match brought mixed news. Coach Leonardo Jardim will be without Gonzalo Plata, who has left the club for Dynamo Moscow.
In addition to him, Bruno Henrique is suspended, while Vitão, De La Cruz, and Alex Sandro remain under the medical department’s care.
On the other hand, there’s defensive relief. After being rested in the last round against Cruzeiro, defender Léo Pereira trained normally with the rest of the group throughout the week and is confirmed to play.
Heightened Caution Regarding Yellow Cards
The Gávea club is in a delicate situation regarding discipline. A long list of players is walking a disciplinary tightrope and risks missing the postponed match against Mirassol.
Erick Pulgar, Cebolinha, Paquetá, Luiz Araújo, Samuel Lino, and Vitão are the Flamengo players at risk of suspension. This means that if any of these players receive a yellow card against Botafogo, they will automatically be suspended for the match against Mirassol, an outstanding fixture scheduled for Wednesday (2nd).
How the Teams Arrive
On the Botafogo side, coach Rodrigo Bellão welcomes the return of midfielder Danilo, recovered from a muscular discomfort. However, the team will be without Kaio Pantaleão, Paulinho, and Barrera.
Recent signing Tiquinho Soares has not yet been included in the squad, awaiting better physical conditioning.
The probable lineups for the duel at the Maracanã are:
Flamengo: Rossi, Royal, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, Jorginho, and Arrascaeta; Carrascal, Samuel Lino, and Pedro.
Botafogo: Gabriel Batista, Vitinho, Ferraresi, Justino, Telles, Huguinho, Medina, Danilo, Montoro, Arthur Cabral, and Danilo Pereira.
Fans wishing to follow every detail of the derby can tune into the club’s channel, which offers complete “on-site” coverage. The official broadcast of the match will be handled by Rede Globo, GETV, and Premiere.
Equipe M360
