Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Brasileiro clash between Flamengo and Criciuma, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Flamengo head into gameweek 18 in the Brasileiro keen to arrest an ongoing wobble when they host Criciuma at Arena BRB Mane Garrincha on Saturday.
Third-placed Mengao are winless in two games, seeing them trail league-leading Botafogo, but they aim to notch maximum points against an opponent that have claimed one point from the last available nine.
Match preview
© Reuters
While Flamengo have played a fewer game than the two clubs above them — Botafogo and Palmeiras — recent results have undermined the club’s pursuit of a first league title since 2020.
A 1-1 home draw with resilient Cuiaba was followed by a shock 2-1 loss at the hands of Fortaleza at Maracana, seeing Tite‘s troops fall five points below Botafogo and two shy of Palmeiras, recently beaten by Fogo in a top-of-the-table clash.
Having had their potential midweek game with Internacional postponed, Mengao aim to notch maximum points for the first time in three matches, keen to end a two-match sequence without success on home turf.
A disappointing aspect of Flamengo’s recent run is their inability to keep clean sheets, underscored by five consecutive games without a shutout and a wider run of preventing their opponents from scoring once in the last 10 top-flight games.
The only clean sheet in that period was a 1-0 win over cellar-dwelling Fluminense, the club with the joint-second-fewest goals in the league, and that preference to outscore the opponent may prove to be Tite’s side’s undoing this term.
© Reuters
Criciuma aim to add to Flamengo’s lack of league shutouts on Saturday, keen to end their run of three matches without winning.
Only one point was secured in that period, but that was against bottom club Fluminense, with that 1-1 draw sandwiched between 2-1 losses to Vitoria and recently against relegation-threatened Corinthians.
Losing on Wednesday was especially hurtful for Claudio Tencati‘s men, who went 1-0 up through Claudinho before the interlude only to concede twice after halftime to lose to Ramon Diaz‘s men.
Angel Romero and Caca got the goals for Corinthians to condemn Tigre to their sixth loss this season, with four coming on the road. That outcome was also Criciuma’s third straight defeat on their travels — fourth road loss in five — after starting the campaign with four away points from an available six.
Losing the last game means the newly promoted side could slip into the bottom three this weekend, with their round 17 opponents two points shy of Tencati’s side heading into a daunting visit to Flamengo.
Flamengo Brasileiro form:
Criciuma Brasileiro form:
Team News
© Reuters
Bruno Henrique (ankle) is not expected to feature for Flamengo, while Everton is touch-and-go for Saturday.
Despite the competition’s conclusion and the quartet’s return to training on Wednesday, Tite is unlikely to restore Uruguay’s Copa America contingent — Matias Vina, Guillermo Varela, Nicolas de la Cruz and Giorgian De Arrascaeta — into the XI so swiftly.
It remains to be seen if the injury that saw Criciuma’s Matheusinho replaced by Allano on the hour against Corinthians is severe enough to keep the winger out of featuring this weekend.
While potentially being without their five-goal man and leading goalscorer will be far from ideal, Tigre will look to Arthur Caike, Felipe Mateus and former Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie to accept added responsibility.
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Rossi; Franca, Bruno, Luiz, Lucas; Pulgar, Allan; Araujo, Gerson, Goncalves; Pedro
Criciuma possible starting lineup:
Gustavo; Claudinho, Fagundes, Angel, Hermes; Allan, Newton, Barreto, Mateus; Caike, Eder
We say: Flamengo 2-1 Criciuma
It is hard to see beyond a return to winning ways for Flamengo on Saturday, with Tite’s men well-rested after their midweek match against Internacional was postponed.
Even though they may not keep a clean sheet, the ambition to challenge for the league title allied with Criciuma’s ongoing away blues should see the hosts snap their two-match winless sequence in front of their fans.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.