An athlete's life is full of ups and downs. One moment, you might be at the peak of your form. The next, a random incident can cause an injury that forces the player to miss a match. This is the case with Coloneze. Flamengo's number 45 suffered a torn collateral ligament in his right knee when Bauru's point guard, Larry, fell on his leg during a match last week. As a result, he will be out of action for 30 to 45 days.

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Just as the red-and-black team was taking off and at the peak of his physical form, the center laments the injury, but appears to be resigned. According to him, it's part of the game. Now, Coloneze, who has been with Flamengo since 2006 and is one of the longest-tenured players on the roster, can only root for his teammates Wagner and Alírio, who are expected to rotate in the number five position.

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"I was feeling very well physically, on a very good upward trend, but that happens. The team is evolving, and I'll be cheering and following the next games, which are very good tests (against Minas, Paulistano and Brasília)," he said.

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One of the players closest to his fans, the center has a profile on the microblogging site Twitter. Through the page, he stays in touch with the Red-Black Nation, providing updates on the basketball team. He thanked the fans for their concern and revealed that he hopes to return soon.

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"Thanks to everyone on Twitter. Thanks for your support and encouragement. Unfortunately, I'll be out for a while, at least until after Carnival. Athletes are susceptible to this. I hope the final diagnosis is the same and I'll be back playing with the group in a month or so. Thanks for your support," he said.

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The center was examined last week, and according to the medical department, the injury could have been worse. However, everything indicates that his recovery time should be between one month and 45 days.