Sampaoli’s team missed the opportunity to get closer to the noble zone and did not go beyond 1-1 at home against Cruzeiro
Taking all competitions into account, Flamengo have drawn three of the last four games
El Flamengo by Jorge Sampaoli is embarrassing. The best squad in South America does not translate its unquestionable quality into good results, something that has been happening since the beginning of the season, first under the orders of the Portuguese Vitor Pereira and now with ‘Sampa’, who has the support of the dressing room and the ‘crooked’.
This Saturday, on the night that the Maracaná paid homage to Vinicius Jr, the victim of racist acts at Mestalla and other LaLiga stadiums, ‘Mengao’ left two points at home.
Gabigol he missed a penalty in the first half, and the rubronegro from Rio ended up drawing 1-1 against a good Cruzeiro, that he was one step away from giving the bell, because, in the second half, he enjoyed the clearest chances.
The harsh reality indicates that Flamengo has drawn three of the last four games: 0-0 in the Fla-Flu of the Copa do Brasil (although he did deserve the victory); during the week with a disappointing 1-1 win at the Ñublense stadium in the Copa Libertadores, which will force them to make an extra effort to qualify for the round of 16 in the next two rounds; and now, in the Brasileirao, against Cruzeiro.
And the only triumph of the rubronegro from Rio de Janeiro in the last ten days was a ‘miracle’: the 1-0 against a Corinthians in the relegation zone, with a goal from the center-back Leo Pereira (who was injured on top of that) in the 94th minute.
With this new setback, Flamengo loses the opportunity to get closer to the noble zone of the table. After eight matches of the Brasileirao 2023, he occupies a disappointing seventh position with 13 points.
And, this Sunday, the distances can still be increased. The leader, which is Botafogo, has 18 points and receives América Mineiro at home, who has only won one game so far. For its part, Palmeiras, which has 15 points, has a very difficult start against At. Mineiro, from Edward Coudet.