Flamengo faces a classic match in Brasília to try and widen their lead in the standings.
With 20 points, Flamengo could extend their lead at the top of the table if they win tonight.
By Flamengo Communication - in
Leading the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo has another important match this Thursday to maintain its position and further increase its lead over its competitors. And it won't be easy. The derby against Fluminense is the main event of the tenth round of the competition. The ball will roll at Mané Garrincha at 20 pm. The game will be held in Brasília because Fluminense, the home team, opted to transfer the match.
The results in the standings were good. Direct rivals suffered setbacks, and Flamengo could open up a five-point lead over second-placed Sport with a victory, practically sealing the lead before the World Cup break. With 20 points, Flamengo would have a five-point advantage over Sport. With only one draw in two games, they would reach 24 points, with a huge goal difference to lose. Therefore, a victory this Thursday is of the utmost importance at this moment.
Before the final training session at the George Helal Training Center, left-back Renê spoke to the press about the importance of the match and how he expects the clash against their traditional rival to unfold.
"We expect a difficult game. A derby is different. They're decided by details. We're working on Fluminense's weak points to try and do our best tomorrow. It will be a tough game, but with the fans putting on a great show, we hope to finish with a victory."
Check out the rest of Renê's press conference here.
RELATED ONES
These are the Flamengo players selected for the match against Fluminense.
FLA-FLU IN THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
The traditional rivalry is quite balanced in the main national competition. There have been 55 matches, with 20 wins for each side and 15 draws. However, when it comes to Fla-Flu at the Mané Garrincha stadium, Flamengo is undefeated. They have played four matches, with two wins and two draws.
In their last encounter, in 2016, Flamengo won 2-1, with goals from Guerrero and Willian Arão, in the Campeonato Carioca. Relive the goals below on FlaTV.
Zico is the all-time top scorer in this rivalry, with 19 goals. His last game wearing the Flamengo jersey, incidentally, was against Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship in December 1989, a 5-0 rout that marked his official farewell to the club. He even opened the scoring with his trademark free-kick, sending the crowd at the Municipal Stadium in Juiz de Fora into raptures.
TRANSMISSION
Flamengo vs. Fluminense will be broadcast exclusively on Premiere FC.