Seeking to pick up a fifth consecutive home victory across all competitions, Flamengo welcome Coritiba to the Estadio Nacional de Brasilia on Saturday.

Gustavo Morinigo's side head into the weekend on a run of four consecutive defeats at the hands of the Rubro-Negro since 2017 and will be looking to end this dry spell.

Match preview

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Flamengo turned in a performance of the highest quality as they claimed a 2-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro to overturn their first-leg defeat and progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil.

Having lost 2-1 at the Estadio Mineirao on June 23, Uruguayan midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta took matters into his own hands as he scored in either half to hand the Rubro-Negro a 2-0 victory and passage to the next round of the cup on aggregate.

Prior to that, Dorival Junior's men saw their run of four consecutive wins across all competitions come to an end when they fell to a slender 1-0 loss at Corinthians in the Brasileiro Serie A on July 10.

Flamengo have picked up six wins, three draws and lost seven of their 16 league games to collect 21 points and sit ninth in the Serie A standings, level on points with Red Bull Bragantino and Botafogo.

The Rio de Janeiro outfit head into the weekend on a run of four consecutive victories on home turf, including a 7-1 mauling of Colombian side Deportes Tolima in the second leg of their Copa Libertadores round-of-16 clash on July 7.

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Elsewhere, Coritiba were denied their first consecutive league win this season last time out when they came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw against 19th-placed Juventude on home turf.

Having trailed 2-0 heading into the interval courtesy of goals from Paulo Henrique and Ricardo Bueno, the hosts upped the ante in the second period as Leo Gamalho and Adrian Martinez struck to force a share of the spoils.

This followed a 2-1 victory over Fortaleza on July 3, when Gamalho and Jose Hugo scored in either half to end their four-game losing streak and condemn Juan Pablo Vojvoda's side to a seventh defeat of the season.

With 19 points from 16 games, Cortitiba are currently 14th in the league standings, level on points with 13th-placed Cuiaba and one point above Ceara in the relegation zone.

While Morinigo's men will look to return to winning ways and surge from the lower echelons of the table, next up is an opposing side who have won each of their last four encounters since a 1-0 loss in November 2017.

Team News

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Flamengo will take to the pitch without defender Rodrigo Caio and 31-year-old forward Bruno Henrique, who are both recuperating from knee problems.

Veteran goalkeeper Diego Alves came off with a groin injury against Atletico Mineiro back in June and the 37-year-old is set to sit out his seventh consecutive game.

De Arrascaetan put on a clinic last time out and the 28-year-old midfielder, who boasts seven goal involvements in the Serie A this season, will be one to keep an eye on.

Meanwhile, Coritiba remain without the services of Robinho, who has missed the last four games through injury, and Warley da Silva, who came off injured on the hour mark against Fortaleza on July 3.

They are joined on the club's injury table by 24-year-old midfielder Andrey, who has been out of action since May after sustaining an ACL injury, while defender Diego Porfirio is still a doubt.

Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Santos; Rodinei, Bruno, Pablo, Ayrton; Hugo, Maia; Franca, Gomes, Vitinho; Barbosa

Coritiba possible starting lineup:
William; Alexandre, Henrique, Castan, Biro; Galarza, Farias; Paixao, Daniel, Manga; Gamalho

We say: Flamengo 2-1 Coritiba

While Coritiba will be looking to return to winning ways, standing in their way is a spirited Flamengo side who have won each of their last four meetings. Looking at the gulf in quality between the two teams and their contrasting form, we are backing the hosts to come away with all three points.

Written by
Joshua Ojele

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