The Globe

Excited after two consecutive victories, Flamengo tries for the third against Palmeiras

O Globo Online Placar Agency

SÃO PAULO - Flamengo won't escape the relegation zone this weekend. But they will take a huge step toward that goal in the upcoming rounds of the Brazilian Championship if they defeat Palmeiras this Sunday at 16 p.m. at the Palestra Itália stadium in São Paulo. The task, however, is extremely difficult. Despite riding high from two consecutive victories (against Náutico and Fluminense), Flamengo will enter the field in a bad shape, still without striker Souza, who is serving a suspension imposed by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD), and without full-backs Leonardo Moura and Juan, and midfielder Roger, all suspended.

Despite the absences, coach Joel Santana believes the reserves can handle the job. Luizinho and Egídio will start on the wings, while Léo Lima will replace Roger. Up front, Obina is expected to start, with Paulo Sérgio remaining as an option throughout the match.

- I trust the players who will come in and I believe in another victory for Flamengo - he commented.

The lack of rapport between those entering and the starters is not a cause for concern:

"In football, we have to have a group where we can make changes without the team changing too much. The difference will be in the group's mindset," said Joel.

Renato Augusto is yet to return to the team, as he continues to recover from the strain in his left thigh that kept him out of the Rubro-Negro's last two matches.

Palmeiras fights against irregularities

At Parque Antártica, the match is seen as crucial for Palmeiras' ambitions, as they currently sit fifth in the standings with 30 points, one behind Vasco and two behind Cruzeiro. Besides facing a strong opponent, Verdão will need to overcome the instability that makes them the team with the second-best away record (60% success rate), but a team with a 44% home record.

"The press thrives on facts. Our home campaign is a fact, but there's no pressure at Parque Antártica. The fans have the right to protest when necessary, but this year we've had very important and beautiful support, at different moments, and that makes a difference. We want to go onto the field against Flamengo without thinking about that," says coach Caio Júnior.

Midfielder Makelele, who was tried Wednesday night by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) for his red card in the match against Vasco da Gama on July 25th at Palestra Itália Stadium, received a two-game suspension, despite being a first-time offender. Having already served one, he is automatically out of the match against Flamengo.

Two other players who are suspended, these for having received their third yellow card last weekend, in the victory over Atlético-MG, are Wendel and Valdivia.

Palmeiras vs Flamengo

Time: 16h

Location: Lecture Italy, in São Paulo (SP)

Referee: Heber Roberto Lopes (PR-Fifa), assisted by Aparecido Donizetti Santana (PR) and José Amilton Pontarolo (PR)

Palmeiras: Diego Cavalieri; Dininho, Gustavo and Nen; Paulo Sérgio, Pierre, Martinez, Caio and Leandro; Edmundo and Luiz Henrique. Coach: Caio Junior

Flamengo: Bruno (Diego); Luizinho, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Egidio; Romulo, Cristian, Ibson and Leo Lima (Toró); Maxi Biancucchi and Paulo Sergio (Obina). Coach: Joel Santana

Sports Journal

To fill the Maraca once again

Flamengo fans will have another opportunity to show up in large numbers next Thursday. Tickets for the match against Juventude are now on sale. Tickets are available at the Flamengo, Flu, and Botafogo headquarters, the RioSampa concert hall (Nova Iguaçu), and the Kappa store (Barra). White bleachers cost R$25, green and yellow bleachers R$20, lower seats R$15, and special seats R$100, all with half-price tickets for students.

A stage of good memories for Mengão

Fla faces Palmeiras at Parque Antártica, a place that has brought them luck recently.

Thiago Bokel

Defender Fábio Luciano, who previously played for Corinthians, is used to facing Palmeiras

The distance of approximately 450 km that separates the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo pales in comparison to Flamengo's challenge today at 16 p.m. at Parque Antártica, when they face Palmeiras. Even with a win, Flamengo will still be in the relegation zone, but they will be able to close the points gap with the team just above them in the standings.

This afternoon's opponent couldn't have been better for coach Joel Santana's team. Palmeiras has proven inconsistent in this Brazilian Championship when playing at home. Added to this is the fact that the two teams' head-to-head record at Palmeiras' stadium in this competition shows a very even record: in eight matches, there were three wins for each side and two draws. One of these successes is well-kept in coach Joel Santana's memory.

"In 2005, we were in a very similar situation to where we are now. We went to São Paulo and won 1-0, with Ramirez scoring. We played tactically perfect football and managed to get out of the hole. This match is very different and requires the team's full attention. If we go in with the necessary confidence and commitment, we can win, but it will be difficult," analyzed the coach.

The match will also feature a clash between two experienced players. On one side will be striker Edmundo, a recognized Flamengo tormentor, while on the other will be Flamengo's new sheriff, defender Fábio Luciano, who is undefeated since joining the team, having won both matches.

"Edmundo is certainly a great player. We've faced each other several times, and I was particularly fortunate in one of them, the World Cup final, when we beat Vasco on penalties and won the title. But besides him, there are other very high-quality players in the Palmeiras squad, and we'll have to be very alert," explained Fábio Luciano.

Coach Joel Santana still has two doubts regarding his starting lineup: Toró or Léo Lima in place of the suspended Roger, and Obina or Paulo Sérgio in attack. Up front, the coach is inclined to give the fans' favorite a chance, believing he's already returning to peak fitness. In midfield, Toró is likely to start. This is because Léo Lima arrived about 30 minutes late to training yesterday, irritating the club's manager. And now is the time for total commitment.

Romulo seizes his opportunity at Fla

One of coach Joel Santana's most praised players after victories over Náutico and Fluminense, defensive midfielder Rômulo is already beginning to establish himself within the team. The young midfielder, just 20 years old, made his professional debut two years ago, when then-coach Cuca, now at Botafogo, gave him a role. Since then, many coaches have passed through Flamengo, but none of them have given Rômulo opportunities. This period of ostracism nearly led him to abandon the club.

"Joel arrived and immediately showed confidence in my work. He gave me an opportunity that other coaches who came through here didn't. It was strange, because I had a history of titles in the youth divisions, and even so, they always gave preference to those who were hired. I have a great love for Flamengo and was sad not to be able to help the team achieve good results. Now things are changing, fortunately," celebrated the player.

While Rômulo is increasingly establishing himself on the team, another player will try to prove his worth in today's match. Also a product of the youth academy, full-back Egídio was loaned to Paraná at the beginning of the year. Since the Paraná team competed in the Libertadores, the player returned with more experience. However, the fact that starter Juan was one of the untouchables in Joel Santana's system meant Egídio had few chances to play. Now that the full-back is suspended, the long-awaited opportunity has arrived. "I've been waiting for this chance for a long time. I haven't played since the match against São Paulo. Now I'll try to deliver and help Flamengo achieve this important victory," said Egídio.

Joel Santana should opt for Toró

One of coach Joel Santana's doubts regarding Flamengo's starting lineup for this afternoon's game is who will fill the midfield. With the expulsion of midfielder Roger in the Fla-Flu match and Renato Augusto's injury, a spot has opened up in the midfield, which is being contested by Toró and Léo Lima. Although the coach hasn't confirmed it yet, it's likely he'll opt for the former, as the former Vasco player arrived late to yesterday's training session at Gávea. Toró is eagerly awaiting his chance to start.

"It's good that the opportunity to play is coming up again. Joel hasn't told me anything yet, but I'm really looking forward to it, especially since I'll be playing in my original position. Now it's time to show in the game what I've been showing in training and do a good job," said the hopeful player, who scored two goals in yesterday's recreational training session at Gávea and is still trying to win over the fans.

Red-black bird

Flamengo futsal player trusts the team for the State Championship and is already thinking about the title

Bianca Reis

Number 13 Passarinho was in the Flamengo group that reached the semifinals in Carioca

After crushing Montanha in the last friendly match, which took place last Friday in Gávea and Fla defeated the opponent 10-0, Flamengo players are only thinking about the debut of the State Championship, when they will face América.

Passarinho, who opened the scoring for the red-black team, assured that although the team was satisfied with the victory, their thoughts are now focused solely on their debut in the state championship.

"We were very happy with the victory, especially because the team played very well. You could see that the group is very homogeneous, as well as cohesive. And I can say that, without a doubt, this team is much more competitive than last semester, due to the signings that were made," said the number 13.

According to him, in addition to the new signings who are already playing alongside the rest of the red-black team, there are more players who are still recovering from injuries in the Gávea Medical Department.

Despite the victory, Passarinho believes that Montanha will be one of the teams that will give the Gávea team a hard time. "Montana is still putting together the team. Mariano (the team's coach) has just arrived. So I believe that by the start of the championship they will have a different formation and be better prepared," said the player, who commented on the importance of holding friendlies before the start of the championship.

"The friendly was good. Sid (Flamengo's coach) made a lot of changes to the team to test the players." According to Passarinho, this is the only way the coach can determine the best formation for the team.

No rivalry\ Regarding the historic rival having lost 3-2 to the same Montanha team, Passarinho guaranteed that the Colina club is completely out of Flamengo's plans, for now.\

"We're not thinking about the rivalry everyone knows about between Vasco and Flamengo right now. Because the two teams are in different groups, we have to think about which teams we'll face first so we can reach the semifinals, where we can then face Vasco," he said. "And even though it's Vasco, it doesn't scare us to think about playing them. We're quite relaxed about that," Passarinho concluded.

Diego Hypólito is committed to preparing for the World Cup

Bianca Reis

The gymnast said he is in excellent shape and will go all out for the World Championships in Germany, starting on September 1st.

One of the teams that brought the most joy to Brazilians at the Rio 2007 Pan American Games is in the final stretch of preparation for the World Gymnastics Pre-Olympic Championships, which will be held in Stuttgart, Germany, from September 1st to 9th.

One of the biggest stars of the Brazilian delegation, Diego Hypólito, shared what his training routine has been like abroad. "I've been training vault, floor exercise, bar, and vault. On Thursday, we did some competition series. And overall, I did well. On vault, I think I can even compete for a medal. We'll stay here until the 25th. After that, we'll head to Stuttgart, which is an hour from where we are," explained Diego.

The gymnast also said that he is very satisfied with his performance in training and that he is thinking positively about the competition.

"I did an assessment yesterday and did very well. I didn't make any mistakes on the apparatus. So my expectations are very high for the world championships," said the gymnast, gold medalist at the Rio 2007 Pan American Games.

Furthermore, Diego commented that he really likes the place and that the team is very close and training in a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere," said Hypólito, who secured two gold medals for Brazil during this year's Pan American Games, one on the floor and one on the vault.

Marcos de Castro

Gourd Bath

A crowd

Marcos De Castro castro@jsports.com.br

At Flamengo, things happen from the fans' perspective. The team fell further and further behind, until it became clear that things were becoming dangerous, and that an immediate response was needed, or they would turn from dangerous to dramatic. That's when, on the Saturday before yesterday, 35 people showed up at Maracanã to begin demanding an immediate comeback—"and there was light," as in the book of Genesis. In this case, a nocturnal light: the first step of the comeback only came at the very end of the second half of that match against Náutico (with Leonardo Moura's goal). But that doesn't mean there's any heresy in the biblical image.

The second step took place on Thursday night, when 50 people paid for tickets to the Maracanã. Without exaggeration, it's safe to say that, of that total, about 35 were Flamengo fans. It was a Fla-Flu match, a match that was born "40 minutes before nothing," in the image of Nelson Rodrigues. One might say it was a hyperbolic image, but there's no hyperbole when it comes to Fla-Flu. Everything seems small when this match takes on transcendent proportions—and it always does.

Fluminense was a Goliath, fresh off a 3-0 thrashing of Santos. Well, it was a little David who humbled this giant. He was a small player on the outside, but he demonstrated the simplest truth in the world: soul has no size. And football is played with the feet, yes, with the head, yes, but above all with soul. In two plays, the second of which was a beautiful goal (starting with Juan's pass), the little-yet-great Maxi won over the Flamengo fans forever. Flamengo fans, who are heart and soul, want only this from their players: the same heart, the same soul. The stands always leave this warning: if you don't play with soul, don't come play for Flamengo. Maxi plays like a winged steed, fire shooting from his nostrils toward goal. He's in the hearts of the fans.

After that, everything unfolded like an epic poem. Flamengo lost a soldier, but it was written that they wouldn't lose that game. They lost a second soldier, but that didn't mean the fans feared the worst. It was a game won in the midst of agony.

O Dia

Flamengo: To keep the momentum going

Marluci Martins

Rio - After taking two steps forward by beating Náutico and Fluminense, Flamengo faces its toughest mission yet this Sunday: defeating Palmeiras at Parque Antártica, in a match scheduled for 16 p.m. It wouldn't be a big deal if the team weren't missing five players. Roger, Léo Moura, Juan, Renato Augusto, and Souza are all out. To avoid relegation, coach Joel Santana will hand both full-back positions to reserve players: Luisinho will play on the right, and Egydio will start on the left.

"I hope to play well and help Flamengo bring home the three points. And I also want to show that I can be a starter," said Luisinho, 24, one of the survivors of the 'Cheese Bread Republic' of the Ney Franco era, having played for Ipatinga before joining Flamengo in early January.

With so many absences, not even Joel Santana knows what to expect from the team from Gávea: "It's hard to talk about this game... Palmeiras has been so inconsistent, right? Sometimes they play well. Sometimes they play poorly. They're a fickle team."

Flamengo returns to Granja

Marluci Martins

Rio - The quest to stay out of the relegation zone won't end this Sunday, regardless of the result. Even if Flamengo returns to Rio with the three points it so desperately seeks, tomorrow night it will travel back to Granja Comary in Teresópolis, where it will remain in training until Thursday night's match against Juventude at the Maracanã stadium.

And on Friday, the team will return to Granja. A struggle that will only end when Flamengo escapes the relegation zone once and for all.

"The agreement wasn't that we would leave the permanent training camp once we won another game. The agreement was that we would continue to sacrifice ourselves while we were in such an uncomfortable situation. We haven't yet left the relegation zone," said coach Joel Santana, much more upbeat after the 1-0 victory in the Fla-Flu match.

Sports Gazette

Prosecutor promises to appeal so that Joel can be tried again\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Despite being acquitted by the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) last Wednesday, Flamengo coach Joel Santana could face trial again after being caught on television cameras asking his players to "beat him up" if their opponents "clowned around" in the match against Santos on August 5th. The Attorney General's Office was unhappy with the outcome of the trial and has promised to appeal. According to Marcelo Jucá, the Court's Attorney General, the Third Disciplinary Committee's decision was not correct. "Joel's behavior is highly reprehensible, and that's why the Attorney General wasn't satisfied with the outcome and will appeal on Monday, which is the deadline for such an appeal," he said in an interview with the website Justiça Desportiva.

Charged under Article 279 of the CBJD, which punishes anyone who publicly incites an offense, Joel Santana was unanimously acquitted. At the time, he expressed regret for his remarks, but reiterated that he had no intention of asking his athletes to attack their opponents.

Flamengo travels to São Paulo with an undefined team\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Tactical training concluded Flamengo's preparations for Sunday's match against Palmeiras this Saturday morning. However, the Red-Blacks traveled to São Paulo without a decision, and coach Joel Santana will only announce the lineup in the locker room, minutes before the match at Palestra Itália. The coach has been encountering serious problems. Left-back Juan and midfielder Roger, sent off in the 1-0 victory over Fluminense, will be suspended. Midfielder Renato Augusto remains ruled out by the medical department, and Souza remains suspended by the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD).

At left back, Egídio will be confirmed. Roger's spot is being contested by Toró and Léo Lima, who arrived late to training this Saturday and could therefore miss the matchup with Toró. Up front, the question is who will partner Maxi. Paulo Sérgio, who performed poorly against Fluminense, could lose his spot to Obina.

The team should be formed by Bruno, Leonardo Moura, Fábio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Egídio; Rômulo, Cristian, Ibson and Toró; Maxi and Obina.

Dismissal - The news that caught the most attention in training this Saturday was the termination of the contract of defender Thiago Gosling, who agreed to leave the club amicably, as he was not in coach Joel Santana's plans.

He arrived at Gávea at the beginning of the year after a turbulent stint at Fluminense, where he clashed with club doctors over an injury. By midweek, Flamengo had already terminated the contract of another defender, Moisés.

Balance marks history between Palmeiras and Flamengo

São Paulo (SP) - Until this Sunday's duel at Palestra Itália, Palmeiras and Flamengo had already faced each other 93 times, with a very even score and a slight advantage for São Paulo.\ Verdão achieved 37 wins and 23 draws, suffering 33 losses to the Rio de Janeiro red-black team. In terms of goals, São Paulo had a 24-goal advantage: 160 to 136.\

In games valid only for the Brazilian Championship, the balance is even more striking: In 38 duels, Palmeiras won 13, Flamengo won 12, and drew 13. In goals, 48 ​​to 46 for Verdão.

The first game in history between the two clubs took place on March 24, 1929 and ended badly for Verdão: 1-0 Flamengo, goal by Nonô.

In the last duel, valid for the first round of the Brasileirão, Palmeiras put on a show on the Maracanã pitch: 4-2, with two goals from Edmundo, one from Osmar and another from Florentín.

PeléNet

Shorthanded, Palmeiras and Flamengo use heterodox lineups

Felipe Mendes\ In Sao Paulo\

A victory is essential for both teams. Palmeiras, currently in fifth place, one point behind Vasco, aims to reach the top four and perhaps even dream of the title. Flamengo, currently in third-to-last place in the table, is eager to escape the relegation zone. However, for this national derby, both teams had to innovate their formations due to absences in the starting lineup.

Palmeiras will be without defensive midfielder Wendel and midfielder Valdívia, who are serving suspensions after receiving their third yellow cards. Deyvid will not play due to injury, and Makelele will not play due to a suspension from the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD).

Flamengo will also be without four key players. The main absence is midfielder Roger, who was sent off in the match against Fluminense. Left-back Juan is also suspended due to a red card. Right-back Leonardo Moura is also out after receiving his third yellow card. Furthermore, Renato Augusto is injured and is unlikely to play. The situation almost got worse: goalkeeper Bruno felt discomfort in his thigh, but it's not a concern.

The Palmeiras absences forced coach Caio Júnior to get creative with his team's lineup. He had time to test three different formations. Having not played midweek, Caio Jr. considered using a 3-5-2 formation similar to the one used in the victory over Atlético-MG, also setting up the team with three center-backs and three defensive midfielders. However, he ultimately settled on a 4-4-2, with Caio in the middle. The person who benefited most from Palmeiras' absences was Francis, who hadn't played in almost three months and will start as a starter.

Caio Júnior didn't assess the absence of some players well, especially since the team will enter with eight players suspended: "It's been complicated. A lot of players have accumulated suspended and we're losing players. Every week we lose two," he said.

Meanwhile, Joel Santana has decided to keep the starting lineup a secret. The team expected to start will be: Bruno; Luizinho, Fábio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim, and Egídio; Rômulo, Cristian, Ibson, and Léo Lima (Toró); Maxi and Paulo Sérgio.

Flamengo's coach hasn't yet said whether he's opted for Léo Lima or Toró in midfield. Nor has he clarified whether the attacking duo that started the Fla-Flu match, Maxi and Paulo Sérgio, will be the starters again. There's a possibility that Obina will start in Paulo Sérgio's place. "I already have more or less the team in mind, but I'm waiting to see how their team turns out so I can build my own. I'm also going to watch a DVD of one of their games."

Regarding the absences, Joel seemed resigned: "It was bound to happen eventually. It's a shame it's now, when the team was improving. But there will be times when we have too many players too."

Idols and goalscorers

Both teams are coming into the match in high spirits. Palmeiras is on a three-game unbeaten streak, including a comeback win over Atlético-MG. The star of the match was Martinez, who will be on the field to try and score for the green and white team. He warned, however,: "Don't get used to it, that's not my job."

Meanwhile, Flamengo has won two straight games, both at Maracanã: 2-1 over Náutico and 1-0 over Fluminense, with Maxi scoring. The Argentine was measured: "I didn't come to Flamengo to be an idol, but to win titles, because football isn't like tennis; there are 11 of us and we all win together. So we'll maintain the same spirit of the Fla-Flu match for the game against Palmeiras."

BalloonSport

Romulo: 'Work is being recognized'

Midfielder thanks Joel Santana for the chance to stay on the red-black team

Joel Santana talks to Rômulo (left) during Flamengo training

Midfielder Rômulo thanked coach Joel Santana for the opportunity to establish himself on the Flamengo team. For the player, this is the time to showcase his talent.

"My work is being recognized, and I thank coach Joel Santana for the opportunity. I was captain of the team in all of Flamengo's youth divisions, but I hardly had any opportunities in the professional ranks. Now I think I'll be able to showcase my football," he comments.

Rômulo is confirmed in the Flamengo team that will face Palmeiras, this Sunday, in São Paulo.

Bruno praises Joel's work at Flamengo

For the owner of the number 1 shirt, the coach gave more confidence to the red-black squad in the Brazilian Championship

Flamengo's goalkeeper praises Joel Santana's work leading the team

Flamengo's two consecutive victories in the Brazilian Championship, a feat not seen since April, are still being celebrated by the players. In goalkeeper Bruno's opinion, coach Joel Santana has a significant role in the results.

"This streak is largely due to the calm Joel gives the players. He talks to us a lot, explains, and when he sees a player is down, he tries to understand and gives them strength. This helped us so much that we were able to overcome ourselves and achieve two important victories," the number 1 emphasizes. But the goalkeeper is aware that there is still a long way to go.

"The situation is still troubling. The goal, before thinking about anything else, is to get out of the relegation zone," he concludes.

American darling supports Flamengo

US star Marthell Vazquez wins over Brazilian fans at the Deodoro Complex

Cahê Mota

Marthell shows her bracelets: surprised by Brazilian harassment

US number ten Marthell Vazquez left the field in tears after the loss to Canada this Saturday, but the sadness didn't take long to dissipate. Considered one of the best players in the world, he became a fan favorite at the Deodoro Complex and became a hit thanks to two accessories: a bracelet with the colors of Brazil and another with the colors of Flamengo, the team he learned to play for in Rio de Janeiro.

"I already knew Flamengo, but I started supporting the team here. I watched the Fla-Flu match on TV on Thursday and celebrated a lot at Vila," he says.

Marthell, who like all 7-a-side football players suffers from cerebral palsy, confesses that he didn't expect to receive so much harassment in Brazil.

"I'm not used to this, I was surprised. I came here to play soccer and represent my country well," says the California-born player, who started playing at the age of five.

The son of Mexican parents, the athlete says his favorite team is América, from Mexico. A fan of Kaká's soccer, he reveals he also admires something else about Brazil: the women.

"I'm looking for the "chicas." I haven't hooked up with anyone yet, but I've made really good friends with the volunteers," he jokes.

Throw

Joel doesn't want euphoria regarding Biancucchi

But Fla's coach doesn't hide his optimism for the game against Palmeiras.

Biancucchi receives advice from Joel (Credit: Paulo Sérgio)

Despite Maxi Biancucchi's strong performance in the victory over Fluminense, coach Joel Santana called for calm regarding the euphoria created by the Argentine's goal. The coach said that the Argentine will undoubtedly earn a place at Flamengo, but without any pressure.

"Maxi is a great player, he's already demonstrated that, but we can't expect too much. He's just arriving and can do much more for the team. We just have to wait and see," said Joel Santana.

The coach showed signs of excitement on the eve of the match against Palmeiras. Judging by his smile, he seemed confident of victory.

But, as the saying goes, football is all about results, and Joel didn't want to risk a favorite. Especially when playing away from home.

"Palmeiras has a team that works hard, and we have to capitalize on their players' mistakes to build a victory. Without euphoria and with seriousness, we'll get a good result at Parque Antarctica," Joel stated.

Midfielder Rômulo celebrated the opportunity given to him by the coach. He, who will be playing his third match, wants to seize the opportunity to establish himself among Flamengo's starting players.

"I arrived at the club as a youngster and was captain in every age group I played in. I've had few professional opportunities, but I'll do my best to earn a place on the team. It may take time, but I've been fighting for this for a long time," said Rômulo, who was chosen to help protect the defense.

Palmeiras faces an on-form Flamengo

The home team doesn't have a good record at home in this Brasileirão

Palmeiras will host Flamengo this Sunday at 16 p.m. (Brasília time) at Parque Antarctica, hoping to repeat their first-round victory. Palmeiras defeated Flamengo 4-2 at Maracanã Stadium. Flamengo will be aiming for their third consecutive victory.

In their opening match of the Brazilian Championship, Verdão crushed the Rio de Janeiro team with two goals from Edmundo, one from Osmar, and another from Florentín. Despite having inferior possession throughout the match (38,33% to 61,67%), Alviverde dominated the match and left Rio de Janeiro with their first victory of the championship.

More than just beating Flamengo again, coach Caio Júnior's team hopes to banish the ghost that haunts their stadium. This year, the team has had its worst record in the century at the park, with only 54,3% of its points earned.

In favor of the home team, an interesting statistic: in the last six games in the Brasileirão, Palmeiras scored at least one goal, with an average of 1,5 per game. There were three victories against Vasco (3-2), Fluminense (1-0) and Atlético-MG (2-1), two draws with Juventude and Inter (both 1-1) and a loss to Sport (2-1).

For this Sunday's match, coach Caio Júnior will make changes to the team that defeated Atlético Mineiro last Sunday. Since they're not participating in the Copa Sudamericana, Verdão had a free week to train and choose their starting players.

Coach Caio Júnior changed the formation from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2. Nen lost his place in defense, making way for Caio in the middle. Other new additions include defensive midfielder Francis, who hasn't played since May, and right-back Paulo Sérgio. The trio that earned spots in the lineup will replace the suspended Makelele, Wendel, and Valdivia.

Palmeiras' top scorer in the Brazilian Championship with five goals, Martinez is currently suspended. Alongside him, defender Gustavo, full-backs Paulo Sérgio and Leandro, and forward Deyvid also have two yellow cards.

At Flamengo, even in the relegation zone with 18 points, in 18th place, the mood is high. The team has won two straight games, against Náutico and Fluminense, and is close to escaping the relegation zone.

Coach Joel Santana will be without three players for the match. Right-back Léo Moura received his third yellow card and will be suspended. Left-back Juan and midfielder Roger, who were sent off against Fluminense, are also out.

In place of Léo Moura and Juan, Luizinho and Egídio will come in, respectively. In midfield, the battle for a spot is between Léo Lima and Toró.

Joel Santana's other doubts concern goalkeeping and attacking. Goalkeeper Bruno left last Thursday's derby against Fluminense with discomfort in his right groin, and his presence has not been confirmed. If he is ruled out, Diego will come in.

Up front, the battle is on to determine who will partner Argentine Maxi Biancucchi, who scored the winning goal against Fluminense. Paulo Sérgio didn't perform well in the derby and could be replaced by Obina.

Joel Santana stated that Palmeiras is doing well and expressed concern about Edmundo's presence.

"Palmeiras has a great team. Edmundo is a great player and deserves attention," he concluded.

Nickname earns Maxi a shirt

A figure of Che Guevara appears on the piece given to the Argentine

Maxi will also receive a cap with the figure of Che Guevara

After scoring the winning goal for Flamengo in last Thursday's 1-0 derby victory over Fluminense, Argentine striker Maxi Biancucchi is the center of attention at Flamengo. This Saturday, fans presented him with a shirt of the Argentine revolutionary leader, Che Guevara, in Gávea.

The gift is an allusion to the nickname Maxi received from coach Joel Santana when he arrived at the club. However, the origin of "Che," according to the coach, is related to the greeting widely used in Argentina and also in southern Brazil, "Tchê."

The same fans promised to also give Maxi a cap featuring the Argentine revolutionary leader in the coming days.

Joel bets on Fábio Luciano to stop Edmundo

Defender begins to gain respect with the coach and Flamengo fans

After signing several defenders, Flamengo signed Fábio Luciano, who has somewhat restructured the defense and is starting to gain traction with the fans and the coach. The club released defenders Irineu, Moisés, and Thiago on Friday. This leaves the new sheriff with virtually no competition to lead the defense.

Joel Santana is banking on the defender's ability to stop Palmeiras' attack this Sunday, especially Edmundo.

"Should I have Edmundo specially marked? What do you think?" the coach asked when asked about the player.

Joel Santana just didn't reveal who will be Edmundo's marker, but everything suggests that Fábio Luciano could be one of the main players this afternoon.

Both have faced each other several times, but the red-black player was unable to say whether he had more victories than the striker.

"I don't bother to do the math. But I know very well that Edmundo is very dangerous," he said.

Luizinho and the difficult life of Leo Moura's reserve

Right-back from Ipatinga will start the game against Palmeiras

Luizinho will start against Palmeiras this Sunday

Right-back Luizinho spoke this Saturday about the difficulty of competing for a position with Léo Moura in the Flamengo team. He will play against Palmeiras this Sunday because the starter will have to serve a suspension for receiving his third yellow card in the Fla-Flu match.

"It's very difficult to compete for position with Léo Moura. I'm only playing because he's suspended, and I have to take advantage of this opportunity. I'm more of a support player than a defender, but if I feel the opponent is attacking too much, I'll stay back to help with the marking," he said.

Special scheme to avoid fights in the Park

Rubro-Negro fans will not be allowed to go to the Independente headquarters. Military Police increase their force.

In addition to escorting the caravan of ten Flamengo buses from the border between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the Military Police set up a special scheme to prevent the “alliance” of the red-blacks with the Torcida Tricolor Independente.

Due to the death of Palmeiras fan Alessandro Camilo de Melo, known as Gão, after being shot in Rio after the Flamengo-Palmeiras match in the first round, the Military Police are considering the return match a risky one. Members of the Mancha Alviverde (Green Man) club have vowed revenge and exchanged threats online. São Paulo fans from Independente (Independente) have then offered to help Flamengo fans in the event of any confrontation.

On Orkut, a social networking site, Flamengo factions were instructed to look for the São Paulo fan club headquarters, in Largo do Paissandu, in the center of São Paulo.

Rio de Janeiro police will escort the ten buses to Itatiaia, a city located 159 km from Rio de Janeiro and 253 km from São Paulo. Then, the São Paulo Military Police will take them to Palestra.

“We’ll take them straight to the stadium and prevent contact with the Independente,” said Major Tadeu Camargo, of the 2nd Shock Battalion.

For regular Flamengo fans, whether they live in São Paulo or aren't joining the caravan, police presence at the stadium will also be beefed up. The Military Police have increased their numbers by 40% to prevent chaos at the park.

"This isn't a normal game. The police don't consider it a classic, but it's close. It's a high-risk match, and that's why I've increased the force," said Major Tadeu.