Rotten run highlights Flamengo's reliance on Giorgian de Arrascaeta | OneFootball

Giorgian de Arrascaeta should be back for Flamengo against Cuiabá on Wednesday, and not a moment too soon for the troubled Brazilian giants.

The Rubro-Negro lost 3-1 at Internacional on Saturday, their third consecutive defeat and first under new manager Dorival Júnior.

De Arrascaeta last played for Fla in their 2-1 derby win over Fluminense on 29 May.

He subsequently left for international duty with Uruguay and things have taken a nosedive for his club side since.

Back-to-back defeats against Fortzleza and Bragantino put paid to Paulo Sousa’s short-lived tenure, and Flamengo failed to get an instant new manager bounce.

This sequence of results has led many to point out that the Mengão seem to have become increasingly dependent on the midfielder’s attacking prowess.

The 28-year-old had scored once and provided four assists in eight Brasileirão games before he was called away by La Celeste.

And statistics show that Flamengo’s league win percentage has been significantly higher with de Arrascaeta than without since 2020.

Just as well he doesn’t have any international commitments now until after the summer.