Flamengo suffered another setback. As if the recent absences and injuries were not enough, the team faced yet another concern. During the derby against Botafogo, held at the Nilton Santos Stadium for the 23rd round of the Brasileirão, midfielder Arrascaeta had to leave the field early in the first half.

Arrascaeta felt a muscle strain, limped off the field, and visibly shaken, sat on the bench in tears before heading to the locker room. Flamengo issued a statement stating that the player will undergo tests and will be reassessed on Monday morning (20).

The exit of the number 14 player increases the apprehension at the Rubro-Negro, who have already lost four players to injury in the last two games. Cebolinha and Viña underwent surgery and will not play again this season, while Pedro and Gabigol, who also felt a muscle strain last Thursday (15), will be sidelined for about a month.

This new setback has reignited the debate about Flamengo's tight schedule, leading to strong criticism from commentator Renato Maurício Prado. "Don't come to me with excuses about the schedule. I agree that it's terrible, but it's the same for everyone. Botafogo, for example, also lost important players like Júnior Santos and Eduardo. They were less important to Botafogo than Cebolinha and Viña were to Flamengo," Renato said. He continued: "The difference is that Botafogo has a manager who, despite being a show-off, reinforced the team. Meanwhile, Flamengo lost most of the window, for the third consecutive year, trying for Claudinho and getting a 'no' from Zenit."

On the field, Botafogo secured a 4-1 victory with goals from Mateo Ponte, Igor Jesus, and Matheus Martins (2). Bruno Henrique scored for Flamengo. As a result, Botafogo reached 46 points and regained the lead in the Brasileirão, while Flamengo remains in 3rd place with 41 points.