Wednesday night (2) was a night of intense work at the Hélio Maurício gym. Returning to training in Rio de Janeiro after two matches in São Paulo, Flamengo returned to activities in Gávea and prepared strongly for Saturday's clash against Vasco, at 14 pm, at Arena Carioca 1.

Also returning to training was American center MJ Rhett, who was out for two weeks due to a medical issue and is available to help Rubro-Negro in their next challenge.

"Today was tough, but I'm happy to be back and rejoin the team. It was a tough break for me, but I got through it. I prayed a lot and hoped everything would be okay, my tests came back positive and I'm so happy to be back," said MJ.

Looking ahead to the match against his rival Vasco da Gama, the center recalled the preseason match and stated he was ready to play. "My first experience against Vasco was in Minas Gerais, when we played a friendly against them. It was a very intense match, and I'm ready to play for real. I need to get back into the swing of things; I have a few days to do that. I want to prepare for Vasco. I know it's a big and important game. I'm excited to be a part of it," said Rhett.

When asked how he can help the red-and-black team in the classic, MJ explained his main characteristics on the court. "The main thing is my energy, especially on defense. I know my work helps create attacks with blocks and rebounds. Sometimes I run and manage to dunk. So I just want to bring energy to the fans and the team, try to unite us. It will be my first time in an Olympic arena and playing in front of fans of just one team. I'm excited and ready to play," he added.

Flamengo faces Vasco on Saturday (30), at 14 pm, at Arena Carioca 1. Tickets for the red-black fans are on sale on the website http://www.guicheweb.com.br/flamengo.