Two teams at opposite ends of the Brasileiro league table will meet on Thursday when Flamengo welcome bottom-placed Juventude to Estadio Nacional de Brasilia.
The visitors are without a victory in their previous eight matches as they aim to push away from the relegation zone, meanwhile the hosts head into the game on the back of consecutive wins.
Match preview
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Flamengo picked up their latest three points on Thursday when they faced Coritiba, picking up a 2-0 victory following goals from Gustavo Henrique and Diego.
This was a consecutive game earning a clean sheet after a 2-0 win against Atletico Mineiro in the Copa do Brasil, showcasing their defensive and offensive qualities.
The performances throughout the opening 17 league encounters have left them just outside the top seven, but with only four points between them and those spots, the squad will be looking to put some pressure on them.
At home, Dorival Junior's men have been far more dominant than on the road, as they have only been beaten twice, while conceding goals has been a rarity.
Throughout their eight fixtures in front of their own fans Flamengo have only conceded four goals, which is something that will push the visitors.
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Juventude have only managed to win two matches during this season in the league which is adding plenty of pressure to them as they look to push further up the league table.
They currently sit bottom of the Brasileiro with six points currently separating them and an escape from the relegation zone, which is a gap they will be aiming to close.
Umberto Louzer's men have failed to win in their previous eight outings in all competitions, which is something that has summed up their overall campaign so far.
Despite that, the squad have shown their ability to fight in games as their previous two matches have resulted in them sharing the points and picking up some crucial results.
The latest of which was against Goias, as the two teams battled it out to a goalless draw, with the clean sheet being a positive for the team that has conceded the most in the league so far.
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Team News
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Bruno Henrique missed out on the most recent 2-0 win for Flamengo due to him dealing with a knee issue, while at the back Rodrigo Caio was also unavailable due to injury.
Diego Alves has been missing as of late due to a groin problem, but considering the fact Santos has kept back-to-back clean sheets, there will not be too much concern.
Juventude returned to a back four again in their most recent outing, and considering they did not concede a goal it is unlikely that changes will be made there.
Marlon is available once more for the visitors as he is now fully fit again, plus Bruno Nazario is also able to make his debut for the club this time around.
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Santos; Matheuzinho, Henrique, Pablo, Ayrton; Diego, Marinho, Gomes, Hugo, Lazaro; Pedro
Juventude possible starting lineup:
Cesar; Alves, Kelven, Forster, Rodrigues; Jean, Paulo, Jadson, Marlon, Edinho; Bueno
We say: Flamengo 3-0 Juventude
Flamengo are the firm favourites to pick up three points heading into this game, with their performances as of late showcasing real quality.
Even though Juventude have managed to secure some draws in recent outings, this one could be a stretch too far, and is something that will certainly test them defensively.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
