Rubro-negro took the lead in the championship after beating Sport 5-1 and the alviverde team losing to Santos, in Vila Belmiro, 1-0.
The final stretch is in sight and fans are starting to do the math. A chapter that could be decisive happened this Saturday (15), when the Rio team took the top of the table by beating Sport 5-1 and also counting on the Alviverde team’s defeat to Santos, in Vila Belmiro. Currently, Flamengo is three points ahead of Palmeiras. In the event of a victory over Santos, Abel Ferreira’s team would have tied on points, but would be ahead due to the number of victories.
According to calculations by the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Ufmg), Flamengo has increased its chances of becoming national champions. The Rio team has a 72% chance of lifting the trophy. For Palmeiras, who played this Saturday with at least 10 absences, the defeat implied a considerable drop in the odds. There is a 26.6% chance for the São Paulo team to be Brazilian champions.
O Estadão made an analysis of the next commitments of the two teams in the 5 rounds remaining until the end of the Brasileirão. It is worth noting that, in the middle of this journey, the two opponents will still face each other for the title, which will take place at the Monumental Stadium in Lima, Peru, on the 29th of this month.
Unlike Flamengo, Palmeiras has an unknown in its calendar. The commitment with Atlético-MG, for the 34th round of the Brasileirão, still has an undefined date due to the dispute in the Copa Sudamericana final. Galo x Verdão, which was supposed to take place between the 18th and 20th of November, had to be postponed. This is because, due to the miners’ trip to Asunción, the only possible date for the match would be on Tuesday (18), during the FIFA Date. However, the Alviverde club faced Santos during the international break, this Saturday.
With Vitor Roque called up, the Alviverde team would lose one of its main players for the season in two games, if the duel with Atlético-MG was scheduled for the 18th. As a solution, the CBF moved forward the matches of the South American finalists to “solve” the problem in the calendar.
Therefore, Atlético-MG x Palmeiras was moved forward in the table, for the base date of December 3, still to be confirmed later. As a reflection of these changes, Red Bull Bragantino x Vitória, for the 34th round, also had to be postponed and should take place on the base date of the 37th round of the Brasileirão.
The list of upcoming clashes between Palmeiras and Flamengo is very similar. Both will face mid-table teams, such as Fluminense, Grêmio (for Palmeiras), Ceará, Atlético-MG and Red Bull Bragantino (for Flamengo).
The divergence, however, lies in the objective of two opponents in particular. Palmeiras will face Vitória, who desperately need to score to escape the threat of relegation. The Bahian team was harmed precisely by the Palmeiras defeat to Santos this Saturday, which made the Vila team rise to 16th place.
Flamengo doesn’t have an easier life. On the contrary. In contrast to Palmeiras, Filipe Luís’ team will face Mirassol, who are the sensation of the championship. In the first time competing in the elite of national football, the club from the interior of São Paulo has made great teams victims, occupying the undisputed 4th position in the table, and not only dreams, but already considers qualifying for the group stage of the Libertadores as a reality.
Palmeiras remaining games:
11/19 – Victory (at home, round 37);
11/22 – Fluminense (at home, round 35);
11/25 – Grêmio (away, round 36);
11/29 – Flamengo (Libertadores final, in Lima);
07/12 – Ceará (away, round 38);
*To be defined – Atlético-MG (away, round 34);
Flamengo’s remaining games:
11/19 – Fluminense (away, round 34);
11/22 – Red Bull Bragantino (at home, round 35);
25/11 – Atlético-MG (away, round 36);
11/29 – Palmeiras (Libertadores final, in Lima);
03/12 – Ceará (at home, round 37);
07/12 – Mirassol (away, round 38);
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
Published by Nícolas Robert
