In place of the Emperor, a King. If Adriano's foot burn prevents him from playing against Corinthians this Sunday in Campinas, in the match that could propel Flamengo to the top of the Brazilian Championship with one round remaining, his replacement would also have to come from a royal family. Chosen by Andrade and with the standing to outmaneuver the experienced Gil and Denis Marques, young Bruno Mezenga, nicknamed after the soap opera "King of Cattle," will have another opportunity to prove his worth.

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Mezenga came through Flamengo's youth ranks and was one of the team's standouts in the same generation as Renato Augusto, who won three state championships in 2005, 2006, and 2007. The striker is 21 years old and has made 18 professional appearances for the club, six of them in this Brasileirão. But none like this one. A crucial match, replacing Adriano... The pressure can get in the way, but coach Andrade avoids placing any responsibility on the striker.

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"Bruno has been adapting to the group for some time now. He came from the youth academy, knows the weight and pressure that Flamengo brings, and has prepared himself for this moment. But they can't even think about putting him in as a substitute because there's no other striker in Brazil who can do what Adriano does. He'll come in to do his job," said the coach.

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The responsibility of replacing Adriano is literally his first, however, comparisons to the Emperor have been brewing since early on. Because of his playing style, being a physically powerful striker, a mastermind in the box, and with a powerful left-footed shot, he was always referred to as the "New Adriano" in the youth academy.

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"I've always been very confident in myself because I knew my potential. At the youth level, I scored a lot of goals and played well, and I know I need to repeat that in the professional league," said Mezenga, who played in Australia, Turkey, and Macaé before returning to Flamengo permanently.

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Since he was fifteen, Bruno has been treated like a gem at Gávea and earned his first professional opportunity at just 16, in 2005. However, because he was still so young, he never really established himself. After spending time on loan to lesser-known clubs in Brazil and abroad, and receiving few professional opportunities at Flamengo, Mezenga returned to join the squad in the Brazilian Championship and now finds himself with the opportunity of a lifetime.

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"I'll tell him: go out there, do your thing and take advantage of the opportunity. A striker lives off the ball. You don't have to put pressure on the kid. His mental health would be very bad if that happened. You have to give him peace of mind, and he has to do what he's been doing. He's aware of this opportunity," Andrade added.

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Bruno Mezenga
Name: Bruno Ferreira Mombra Rosa
Date of Birth: August 8, 1988 (age 21)
Level: 1,83m
Weight: 79 kg
Position: Attacker