Under pressure, Flamengo decides the Guanabara Cup with Fluminense at Maracanã

Flamengo vs Fluminense | With a very troubled environment, Flamengo is going to its third consecutive classic in the Carioca Championship. This Wednesday, at 9:10 pm, they host Fluminense at Maracanã, in Rio, for the 11th and final round of the Guanabara Cup. In addition to the weight of the traditional ‘Fla-Flu’ by itself, the classic is still a final, because it is worth the symbolic title of this stage. The two teams are already guaranteed in the semifinals, which will define the champion of Carioca.

Despite the defeat last Sunday to Vasco, by 1 to 0, Flamengo leads with 23 points, one ahead of Fluminense, which has 22. It could have anticipated the title, but it has another chance to end the negative streak because it enters on the field with the advantage of the draw. Meanwhile, the rival must necessarily win to be champion. But he arrives at the final game excited by the sequence of four consecutive victories: Bangu, by 5 to 0, Portuguesa, by 3 to 0, Vasco, by 2 to 0, and Audax, by 3 to 0.

Flamengo is trying to find a way out of its crisis, which previously had Portuguese coach Vítor Pereira as its main target. Then it went through the board and now it’s on top of the players. In two months, the club lost the dispute of three titles.

He was runner-up in the Brazilian Super Cup, won by Palmeiras, by 4 to 3, in Brasília, and had a poor performance in the Club World Cup in Morocco, in which he was eliminated in the semifinals against Al-Hilal, from Saudi Arabia. Afterwards, he still lost the Recopa Sudamericana to Independiente del Valle. In the second game, with Maracanã sold out (more than 71,000 fans), Flamengo returned the score by 1 to 0, but lost on penalties, by 5 to 4. The only respite now is the Campeonato Carioca.

PRESSURE

On the eve of this game, a group of approximately 30 fans was at the entrance to the Flamengo Training Center, Ninho do Urubu, to charge the players. Security was tightened and the police were also present. Léo Pereira and David Luiz even lowered their windows to talk to the protesters, while Gabigol, the main target of the curses, went straight and fast.

Gávea was also the target of a demonstration. A banner with the inscription “we are not fans of scoundrels” was extended in front of Flamengo’s headquarters. The Special Police Battalion in the Stadiums (BEPE) communicated that organized supporters involved in confusion are prohibited from going to Maracanã for three months, including the Rubro-Negra Race, from Flamengo.

To climb the team, Vítor Pereira has problems. Striker Pedro, with thigh pain, should not be in good shape. Thiago Maia, with an ankle sprain, and David Luiz, with a knee injury, are banned. Thus, the team must have a defensive trio with Fabrício Bruno, Rodrigo Caio and Léo Pereira, with the laterals – Varela and Ayrton Lucas – acting as wingers, with more freedom.

Vítor Pereira reinforced again that the commitment of the players is at the highest level and that things tend to fall into place. “What we can control is the work and the goals must appear. Sooner or later, things will emerge. In the next game we have the opportunity to win a cup and we will look the opponent in the eye. Nobody can control the results. Only we can control our commitment to the game, to work, to the day to day, to the intensity”, he explained.

IN HIGH

In an excellent phase, contrasting very well with his rival, coach Fernando Diniz has no reason to change Fluminense’s starting lineup. A novelty among those listed must be midfielder Lima, who did not travel to the game against Bangu to see the birth of Benicio, his second child.

Diniz highly praised Fluminense’s performance, but warned that the derby was even more difficult due to opposing pressure. “The last match was Fluminense’s best of the season, the result of hard work, respect and humility with Bangu. Now we have another complicated game, a classic. Otherwise, it will be even more difficult”, he warned.

André, taken to a new level by his recent call to the Brazilian national team, also participated in interviews and was emphatic. “For the moment, Fluminense is the favorite.”