New players and a good moment: from Flamengo, finalist of the Copa do Brasil, to the current Rubro-Negro
What has changed from the 2017 Mais Querido to the current one?
By Mariana Sa - in
Flamengo and Cruzeiro will face each other again in a knockout duel next Wednesday (8), at 21:45 pm, at Maracanã. Unlike the last time the teams were in this situation, when they played the Copa do Brasil final, now the clash will be in the round of XNUMX of the Conmebol Libertadores.
Much has changed since then. Players left, others arrived, Maurício Barbieri took over the team, Flamengo changed its style of play, and the season began again. Now in a different competition, the Mais Querido (Most Beloved) seeks to change the result and qualify for the next stage of the South American competition.
The red-and-black lineup in the last clash between the teams at Maracanã was: Thiago; Rodinei (Vinicius Junior), Réver, Juan and Pará; Márcio Araújo (Cuéllar), Willian Arão and Diego; Everton, Lucas Paquetá (Gabriel) and Berrío. Coach: Reinaldo Rueda. The match ended in a 1-1 draw and Mengo's goal was scored by the young Paquetá.
In the match at Mineirão, we took to the field with: Alex Muralha; Pará, Réver, Juan, and Trauco; Cuéllar, Willian Arão, and Diego; Everton (Lucas Paquetá), Guerrero, and Berrío (Rodinei). The 0-0 draw in regulation time sent the final to penalties, which ended in a victory for Cruzeiro.
Key players, such as Everton Ribeiro and Diego Alves, were unavailable for the competition, having been signed after the registration deadline. Lucas Paquetá went from being a youngster to a key player. Unlike Rueda, Barbieri began using one defensive midfielder instead of two.
Now, Flamengo boasts a different squad and Maurício Barbieri's philosophy on the field. Since then, we finished sixth in the 2017 Brazilian Championship, reached the final of the CONMEBOL South American Championship, and started 2018 with full force, ready to fight for titles.
At different stages of the year, the teams are scheduled to meet this Wednesday. For Flamengo, it's a chance to secure an important positive result in front of their fans and demonstrate their strength at the Maracanã stadium. The match also marks the first meeting between "Mais Querido" and Cruzeiro in the history of the CONMEBOL Libertadores.