Flamengo lineup against Madureira in the Carioca Championship

Flamengo lineup | With new planning, Flamengo will use its starters for the second straight game, now against Madureira, this Wednesday night, starting at 7 pm, at the Kleber Andrade stadium, in Cariacica-ES. The game is valid for the second round of the Carioca Championship, leader with six points, but with a game more than the other clubs. The suburban team has one point from the goalless draw against Vasco.

Flamengo’s focus is to seek two titles at the start of the season. The first is the Brazilian Super Cup, where the team from Rio, champion of the Copa do Brasil, will face Palmeiras, Brazilian champion of 2022. The decision will be in a single game confirmed by the CBF for January 28 at the Mané Garrincha stadium, in Brasília . Afterwards, the delegation leaves for Morocco, where it will compete in the Interclub World Cup between February 1st and 11th.

Portuguese coach Vítor Pereira has been working with the Flamengo squad for two weeks. After a short period of physical training, he finds it necessary to pace the players. For this reason, he has already chosen the starting line-up in the 4-1 defeat of Portuguesa, on Sunday, at Maracanã, and will repeat the strategy.

After the last training session at Ninho do Urubu, the team headed to Cariacica. Vítor Pereira repeated the speech of what he wants: “I want to use these games to prepare the team aiming for the Super Cup. I want to give game time to the players”.

Flamengo must repeat the lineup

As usual, he did not reveal the lineup, however, it should be the same as the last match. Gerson entered the midfield in place of João Gomes, in defense Fabrício Bruno took the place of Léo Pereira, who is recovering from pain in the adductor of his right thigh, and, at left-back, Ayrton Lucas took the place of Filipe Luís , who is recovering from an injury suffered in the Copa Libertadores final.

The main casualty is midfielder Vidal, who felt muscle discomfort, and was spared. Defender Rodrigo Caio is reconditioning himself physically, but striker Bruno Henrique, who underwent knee surgery, should only return to the field in the middle of the year. Their absence should not interfere with Flamengo’s plans to seek their third consecutive victory. In the debut, with an alternative team, they beat Audax by 1-0, in an early game of the fifth round.

Madureira got excited after holding Vasco’s alternative team in São Januário, which was full. Another draw would be welcomed by young coach Felipe Arantes. “Whoever adds a point with Flamengo is in profit”, joked the technician, who should keep the same formation of the debut. With one point, Madureira is in sixth place, alongside Nova Iguaçu, Vasco and Volta Redonda.