Flamengo faces Corinthians at 16 pm this Sunday (3). For the match at Maracanã, Maurício Barbieri can count on a player who has been coming on well and showing his defensive strength. Wearing the number 14 shirt, Jonas has proven to be important game after game, being one of the main players in his position.

Without Cuéllar, who is still awaiting clearance from the Colombian Federation to return to playing for Flamengo, the club is placing its trust in the 26-year-old midfielder, who has the second-best averages in his position after the Colombian. These figures are from Footstats.

In the Brazilian Championship, there have been five matches so far. With 87 accurate passes and only eight inaccurate ones, Jonas has a 91.6% success rate. In tackles, the player's main characteristic, he has 19 successful tackles out of 21 attempted, a 90,5% success rate. With these numbers, the number 14 is the third best player on the team and 13th in the championship in these statistics.

His best match in the Brasileirão so far was against Atlético-MG at Independência. With nine tackles, he broke the record for a single game in the tournament in the 2018 season, committed only one foul and missed only one long pass, ensuring that Flamengo left Belo Horizonte without conceding a goal and with three points.

In the Conmebol Libertadores, the numbers are even better. With solid performances in the group stage, Jonas played in five matches, completing 60 passes, 100% of his 13 attempted tackles – a statistic that places him among the best Brazilians in this aspect – and providing one assist for a shot.

In the match against Emelec, the most important defensive performance for Flamengo, there were 34 total tackles, a number that gave Fla the best performance in this statistic in a single match in the history of the Libertadores Cup. The free kick that resulted in Everton Ribeiro's second goal originated precisely from a tackle made by Jonas.

The numbers prove that Jonas can be an important asset for Flamengo's continued participation in the competitions they are involved in. For coach Maurício Barbieri, it's a chance to have a midfield that is always strong and competent in defense, in addition to players who fight with grit for every challenge.