Juventude vs Flamengo Prediction: The Cariocas are the clear favorites

Flamengo is deservedly in first place in the Brasileirão. Tite's team has shown quality but, above all, the will to win. In the last three games, the Cariocas have picked up seven points against Athletico-PR, Bahia, and Fluminense, and in all those games, they scored close to the final whistle. Flamengo is the Brazilian team with the most players at the Copa América, but it hasn't lost competitiveness and has managed to reach the top of the table.

The Gaúchos played a competent game at Allianz Parque against Palmeiras but ended up losing 3-1. Once again, Estêvão's talent made the difference, scoring the second goal for the Paulistas in the 75th minute. Juventude went into the break tied at zero but conceded a goal early in the second half through Flaco López. However, the "Ju" didn't lose heart and equalized in the 64th minute through Erick Farías following a long throw-in. The Verdão picked up the pace and scored two goals in the last 15 minutes, but the Gaúchos can be satisfied with their performance. Next up is Flamengo, and the task is just as complicated as it was against Palmeiras, but Juventude will be playing relaxed, occupying 12th place in the standings.

The FLa-Flu derby was a one-way street as only Flamengo wanted to win the match. Fluminense is in last place and was very cautious, finding it difficult to get into the rival's half. A draw didn't matter to Flamengo, who missed several chances to score. Just when it looked like the game would end in a draw, in the 86th minute, Bruno Henrique fell in the Fluminense area, and the referee awarded a penalty. The decision was controversial, and Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz saw a red card for protesting. Pedro, Flamengo's top scorer, converted the penalty and sank his former club further down the table. The victory in the derby boosted the confidence of the leader even more.

Flamengo will enter the pitch at the Alfredo Jaconi as the favorite, but if there's one league where that doesn't mean much, it's the Brazilian one. Last year, Palmeiras lost four straight games in the Série A and still won the title. We don't see situations like that happening in other leagues. Maximum concentration and excellent physical condition are needed in every game to withstand the insane schedule of matches. I will bet on Flamengo to win, but Juventude could cause problems for the Cariocas.