In classic, FlaFlu decides semi-finals of the Carioca Championship

Classic

Match opens the semi-finals of the Carioca Championship

Fluminense hosts Flamengo at the Maracanã stadium, starting at 8pm (Manaus time) this Saturday (9), in the match that opens the semi-finals of the Campeonato Carioca.

Tricolor das Laranjeiras enters the clash with the intention of gaining some advantage over the Gávea team, which can guarantee passage to the final even with equality in the sum of the scores from the semi-final clashes. Therefore, as they have control of the game in this first match, the ideal is for Fluminense to achieve victory.

Everything getting ready for Saturday’s decision!

📸: Marcelo Gonçalves/FFC pic.twitter.com/AS6FLBv6hg

— Fluminense FC (@FluminenseFC) March 7, 2024

However, to stay alive in the competition, the team led by coach Fernando Diniz will have to break an uncomfortable streak of 11 matches without winning in classics. In a press conference, Colombian attacking midfielder Jhon Arias stated that the game against Flamengo is the perfect opportunity to change this story: “Unfortunately, due to changes in the game, individual errors, collective errors, we lost the classics. We are aware. Fluminense is not a team to go all this time without winning classics. Now, we have the perfect opportunity to win again and guarantee our qualification for the final.”

Despite the Colombian’s optimism, Fluminense has important absences for the match: midfielder André, suspended after receiving a red card in the classic against Botafogo, and the injured Samuel Xavier, Douglas Costa and Marlon. Therefore, coach Fernando Diniz must send the following team to the field: Fábio; Guga, Felipe Melo, Thiago Santos and Marcelo; Martinelli, Renato Augusto (Lima) and Ganso; Keno, Arias and Cano.

Tricolor’s opponent will be Flamengo who are going through a great moment, after having their best campaign in the Guanabara Cup. So far in Carioca, Rubro-Negro has played 11 matches (with 8 wins and 3 draws) in which they scored 23 goals and conceded just 1.

A new addition to Rubro-Negro for the match, who should be on the bench, is defender Léo Ortiz, who has just been signed from Bragantino. And the defender expressed, in an interview, confidence for the decisive classic with Fluminense: “It’s great to arrive at a time like this, already with a classic. A semi-final, an important moment for the club, close to winning another title. I hope we play two good games against Fluminense, so that we can reach the final and we can become a champion.”

Ready for the first match of the semi-final @Cariocao! 🔴⚫️ # VamosFlamengo

📸: Marcelo Cortes /CRF pic.twitter.com/Jsi6sAMlAU

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) March 8, 2024

For the match, coach Tite has three problems in choosing his team: striker Gabriel Barbosa and full-back Wesley, who are recovering from muscle injuries, and midfielder Gerson, who underwent kidney surgery.

Therefore, Flamengo’s likely lineup should be: Rossi; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, De la Cruz and Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo, Everton Cebolinha and Pedro.

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