This Wednesday, the 23rd, after the end of the national team's friendlies on the FIFA date, attention turns to the Brazilian championship, which opens the 23rd round with the red-and-black national classic between Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense.
Broadcast by Rede Globo (except for the states of Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo) and Premiere (PPV channel), at 9:30 pm at the Kléber Andrade Stadium, in Cariacica, Espírito Santo, the match marks crucial moments for both teams, Flamengo with a view to fighting for the title, and the hurricane wanting to consolidate itself within the G6 of the championship, seeking a direct spot in the Libertadores.
Fourth in the Brasileirão with 39 points, Flamengo is looking to reduce the advantage of the leader Botafogo, which is currently 12 points, and to do so, the possible lineup comes with: Matheus Cunha; Fabrício Bruno, David Luiz and Léo Pereira; Wesley, Allan, Gerson, Everton Ribeiro and Everton Cebolinha; Gabigol and Pedro.
With a good record in the last 8 games, with 5 draws and 3 wins, Athletico, in seventh place with 34 points, wants to establish itself within the Libertadores qualification zone and will field the possible team: Léo Linck; Madson, Cacá, Thiago Heleno and Esquivel; Hugo Moura, Erick, Vitor Bueno and Zapelli; Cuello and Pablo.
Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense will take to the field for the Brasileirão, valid for the 23rd round. Flamengo comes into the game with the burden of playing the first leg of the Copa do Brasil final against São Paulo next Sunday, scheduled for 4:00 pm at Maracanã. With this final in sight, the red-and-blacks' attention is focused on the match against the São Paulo team, seeking the fifth title of the competition.
During the week, rumors stirred up the Flamengo backstage, suggesting a possible approach by the board to coach Tite to take over the position in 2024. This brought speculation about the future of the club's current technical command, generating a series of questions about Jorge Sampaoli's performance at the helm of Flamengo.
On the other hand, Athletico Paranaense faces its own challenges. The team was hit hard by the injury of Vidal, a key player in the team, who suffered a knee injury and is out of action for the rest of 2023. This absence represents an additional challenge for Athletico, who will have to find alternative solutions within the current squad.
Furthermore, Athletico is on a run of three consecutive draws in the Brazilian Championship, which puts pressure on the team to seek a victory and recover in the competition.
With all these elements in play, the match between Flamengo and Athletico Paranaense promises to be an exciting one, with both teams pursuing their goals and facing significant challenges. Fans can expect a tense clash full of twists and turns, as each team seeks a victory that could be crucial to their respective campaigns.
(Photo by Heuler Andrey/Getty Images)
