Flamengo still has not chosen whether Pedro or Bruno Henrique will start at center forward against Cruzeiro on 19 August 2026, leaving Leonardo Jardim with one of the key calls of the Conmebol Libertadores round of 16. The second leg at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro starts at 21:30, and the winner over 90 minutes goes through to the quarterfinals.
That is why the search is happening now: the first leg finished 1-1 on 12 August 2026 at Mineirão in Belo Horizonte, so the tie is still alive and every detail in the team sheet matters. If the match is level again after 90 minutes, penalties will decide it, which raises the value of the striker who can finish the game before it reaches that point.
Pedro made a strong case three days ago. He started against Mirassol on 16 August 2026 and scored two goals in Flamengo’s 5-1 win, the kind of return that changes a selection debate in a knockout tie. Bruno Henrique, though, began the first leg and later felt pain after a blow to his left ankle in a play with Mateus Henrique, and that leaves his condition part of the decision even if no call has been announced.
The choice is not only about form, but about fit. Pedro has the sharper recent numbers, while Bruno Henrique already has the first-leg role on his side. Leonardo Jardim has to balance both against the pressure of a tie that cannot hide behind a league table, and the winner will move on to face the victor of Independiente del Valle and Tolima in the next round.
That next round is set for the second and third weeks of September, which means the reward for the winner on Tuesday is immediate and clear. For Flamengo, the question now is simple: start the striker who scored twice against Mirassol, or trust the one who opened the first leg and hope the ankle holds up long enough to matter.
