After lifting the Copa do Brasil trophy last Wednesday, Flamengo returns to the field but this time for the Brazilian championship. The team from Rio will go to Independencia, in Belo Horizonte, to face América-MG, at 19:00 (Brasília time), for the 33rd round of the Brasileirão.
Coelho comes under pressure to win again at home after losing to Fortaleza at Independência in the last round. In eighth place, with 45 points, the team has the chance to enter the direct zone for the Libertadores classification – the club’s main objective for the year -, if Flamengo wins.
For the match, coach Vagner Mancini will have two important returns: Lucas Kal and Cáceres. The players have already recovered and should be in the starting 11. The headache for the coach is in relation to the attack. Out since the last game against Fortaleza, after feeling a hook in his right thigh, Everaldo trained separately during the week. Most likely, Matheusinho will assume the position.
Four-time champion of the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo repeats the strategy of the game with Cuiabá, in the last round. The holders, this time including goalkeeper Santos, did not travel to Belo Horizonte. The exception was João Gomes, who, suspended, did not play the final with Corinthians.
The big news in the red and black is Diego Alves, who returns to play after four months. His namesake Ribas will also be a starter. João Gomes, absent from the final, starts, and Matheuzinho will be the right-back. Dorival Júnior, who leads training in the morning at Ninho do Urubu, goes to BH in the afternoon and directs the team at Independência.
Goals in the Match: Under 2.5
But América-MG has a very strong defense and should be able to hold Flamengo to the point of not being thrashed at home. The best guess is a Flamengo victory by 1 x 0, with the number of goals being less than 2.5.
Both Teams To Score: No
Flamengo’s defense is also quite strong and should not concede a goal from América-MG’s fragile attack. So both don’t score in this game.
America-MG vs Flamengo Retrospect
According to the oGol website, the teams have faced each other 17 times so far. Therefore, Flamengo has an advantage in history with 10 victories, against two of América-MG. In addition, there were also five draws. The last game between them was 3 x 0 for Fla, in the 14th round of the Brasileirão Série A 2022.
