One of the biggest rivalries in Brazilian football will take centre stage on Monday as Vasco da Gama and Flamengo square off in O Classico dos Milhoes (the Millions Derby) at the Maracana.
In their return to the Brasileiro Serie A, Vasco are currently third from the bottom with six points, losing their previous league fixture 2-0 at Fortaleza, while Mengao are up to seventh in the table after drawing Cruzeiro 1-1 a week ago.
Match preview
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It has been a difficult two years for O Almirante and an equally difficult time for these players in the top flight, with this group currently on a three-match losing run.
Since a stunning 2-1 victory versus Atletico Mineiro in their opening Serie A fixture of the campaign, not much has gone right for Mauricio Barbieri's men, who are winless in seven successive league matches.
Many of their results have not gone their way, but the team should be encouraged knowing that they have been right there in most of those encounters, with their opening six games decided by a goal or fewer.
Vasco are still seeking their first home victory of the domestic campaign, with just one point in those three matches played in Rio, while they have squandered four points from winning positions in the second half.
Five of their six points gained this season have come against the traditional powerhouse clubs in Brazil, including draws versus the reigning league champions Palmeiras (2-2) and another one at Fluminense (2-2).
As you might imagine, for a team coming in from a lower division, Barbieri has employed a more passive approach, built on defending first and building from the back, although they have found themselves stuck in their end of the field, often trying to stave off opposing attacks.
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Fresh off their advancement into the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil on Thursday, Flamengo are on the road with a chance to win back-to-back league fixtures away from home for the first time all season.
Since a poor opening domestically, losing three of their first four games, Flamengo have been playing catch-up, gaining points in four consecutive league fixtures but still narrowly behind Cruzeiro on goal difference for sixth and the final spot in the Copa Libertadores qualifiers.
Jorge Sampaoli has seen his side strike first in all but two of their domestic affairs in 2023, but they have given that lead away and gone on to lose twice away from home, at Internacional (2-1) and Athletico Paranaense (2-1).
They have had the majority of the bragging rights against Vasco through the years, winning five of the last six meetings in all competitions versus Cruzmaltino, while Flamengo have not lost to them as the visiting team since 2015 (1-0 in Serie A).
The reigning Copa Libertadores champions have found the back of the net in 10 successive domestic encounters dating back to 2022, scoring the joint-third-most goals (14) in the Brazilian top flight this season.
Flamengo have looked dangerous in possession and have often been the aggressors in recent matches, though their finishing touch has been a little hit-and-miss from what we are used to, scoring a goal or fewer in four of their previous five matches in all competitions.
Team News
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Vasco have a few players currently recovering from knocks as Riquelme and Patrick de Lucca have ACL issues, Gabriel Dias is dealing with a sore tendon, Robson remains sidelined because of a thigh injury, while Andrey Santos and Marlon Gomes are representing Brazil at the Under-20 World Cup.
They have not found the back of the net in a Serie A fixture played at the Maracana since Pedro Raul and Gabriel Pec gave them a 2-0 lead versus the mighty Palmeiras before conceding twice themselves.
Pec helped them to an early lead in the opening leg of their Carioca Serie A semi-final tie versus Mengao, with Alex Teixeira netting just before the hour mark, while Manuel Capasso levelled their second-leg encounter, though they went on to lose both meetings, 3-2 and 3-1, respectively.
Flamengo are expected to be missing Matheuzinho, who is likely a few weeks away from his broken leg being fully healed, which is around the same time that Marinho should return from a muscle injury, while Everton Ribeiro may be available by the middle of June as he is currently nursing a sore thigh.
Ayrton Lucas had the equaliser in their last league encounter versus Cruzeiro, while Pedro netted three times in their two-leg semi-final victory over Vasco at the Campeonato Carioca, with the other goals coming from the aforementioned Lucas, Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Fabricio Bruno.
Goals from De Arrascaeta and Gabriel Barbosa helped propel them to a 2-0 victory in the second leg of their Copa do Brasil tie against Fluminense on Thursday, as Matheus Cunha collected a clean sheet after Santos had done the same in that opening fixture.
Vasco da Gama possible starting lineup:
Jardim; Henrique, Miranda, Leo, Piton; Carvalho, Jair, Galarza; Pec, Teixeira, Orellano
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Cunha; Luiz, Pereira, Bruno; Franca, Gerson, Pulgar, Maia, Lucas; Pedro, Barbosa
We say: Vasco da Gama 1-2 Flamengo
Given the rivalry that these two have built up, this match should be full of intensity and drama, knowing what this means to both fan bases.
We expect Vasco to have an early edge seeing as Flamengo have only had a few days to rest in between games, but Urubu are rarely phased when incurring a setback, and they should be able to take control of this encounter and eventually find those openings.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
