‘Best in Brazil’: Filipe Luís backs Arrascaeta to start for Flamengo | OneFootball

Flamengo defeated Internacional 1-0 in the first leg of the Libertadores Round of 16

Flamengo left Maracanã on Wednesday (13th) with a 1-0 victory over Internacional in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the Libertadores. The narrow home win raised questions about the absence of Arrascaeta, who was suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards. The question now is whether the number 10 will return to the starting lineup in the upcoming matches.

— I always think about the game plan and what difficulties the opponent will present us with. This duo that played today, Bruno and Plata, played in the Supercopa final and had an extraordinary game. They have a very good social and emotional connection, and no one is irreplaceable. But we were talking – alongside Kaio Jorge – about the best player in Brazil, who is Arrascaeta. We have to try to get the most out of him and keep him fresh, so he can perform the way he has been performing, — emphasized coach Filipe Luís during the post-match press conference.

Was Arrascaeta missed?

The Uruguayan Arrascaeta received yellow cards in the matches against Deportivo Táchira, Central Córdoba, and LDU Quito. As a result, he served an automatic suspension against Internacional. Thus, Flamengo could not count on their number 10, who has 14 goals and nine assists this season.

Who scored against Internacional?

Flamengo dominated the first half and opened the scoring with Bruno Henrique, as Luiz Araújo delivered a perfect corner for the red-black idol to head in. However, the team’s performance dropped in the second half and they maintained only the minimal advantage.

What is Flamengo’s situation?

The second leg will be next Wednesday (20th), starting at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at the Beira-Rio stadium. Flamengo will qualify with a draw, while Inter needs to win by two goals to advance directly.

If the team from Rio Grande do Sul wins by one goal, the decision will go to penalties. Thus, the two teams will face each other again this weekend, this time for the 20th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro. The match will be on Sunday (17th), at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time), again in the South.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.