An inspiration for the Empire of Love. On the eve of Flamengo's debut in the 2010 Copa Libertadores da América, the club's official website conducted an interview with Nunes, Flamengo's top scorer in the 80s, famous for always leaving his mark on the Gávea team's decisive matches. A Libertadores champion in 1981, Nunes spoke about his debut, recalled moments from 1981, and analyzed the main challenges of competing in the competition.

\

For Nunes, it's normal for the team to be anxious about the first game; however, after that, the Flamengo idol believes this group has everything it needs to take off in the competition. The Top Scorer of Decisions, who chose the match against Deportivo Cali as his most important match of the tournament, is confident and rooting for a second title. The secret? Patience and unity.

\

Check out the full interview with the former player.

\

Tension at the premiere: Every start to a competition is filled with tension, for all participants. And we experienced that too, the anxiety of starting the Libertadores on the right foot, and that's exactly what happened. Our team was conscious, united, and an outstanding team, and we prepared to win the Libertadores. We achieved this with great humility and professionalism.

\

The 1981 title: We took on this responsibility and continued to play to achieve this goal. Until then, only Santos and Cruzeiro had achieved it, and we were the third Brazilian club, with me, Zico, Adilio, Raul, Leandro... And I'm very happy to be part of this story.

\

The biggest difficulty: The Libertadores is a very serious affair; you have to be very professional, and it's a different kind of championship to play in. We faced Olimpia, Cerro, Cobreloa, Deportivo Cali, River Plate... The difficulty is that you don't know your opponent well. You have to be alert and prepared for everything. The responsibility of representing your country and your club internationally is a major one.

\

The 1981 team: With all due respect, we played calmly. Our opponents didn't know what team they were up against either. They had no idea of ​​the team we were playing as a whole or the potential we had. They were top-notch players, and when we arrived, it wasn't surprising to see the pressure from our opponents, but on the field, we were better. We played well, a refined team, and yet kept it simple.

\

Zico: We knew we had Flamengo's greatest idol, but he was a simple, friendly guy who always helped his teammates, and we were always a family. To this day. That's why we achieved these goals. It takes a strong connection on and off the field.

\

Arbitration: The player has to be well prepared to play football on the field. He shouldn't worry about the referee. He has to forget about that and just focus on playing football. Regarding communication, it's a bit difficult, but our group had players who spoke Spanish, and every now and then we'd let out a Brazilian curse... There are several secrets on the field. I always asked Isaias, Roberto, or Deni to massage my leg with a carrot, and sometimes I'd run my hand over it and pass it in the defender's sight. There's no need to be disloyal. Football has to be played with respect, professionalism, and dignity.

\

Unforgettable game: In the Libertadores, I think the game against Deportivo Cali in Colombia was the most important because we won 1-0, with my goal, right on the first chance I had. After that, the team was able to withstand the pressure, play intelligently, and I think that was very important for our campaign. Many people talk about the series against Cobreloa, which was a three-match series. We won 2-1 here, lost 1-0 in Chile, and won 2-0 in Uruguay. We became Libertadores champions. But the important thing is to focus on the objective and work to achieve it. The whole group was aware of this and united around it.

\

1982 Libertadores: My memory is of the River Plate match, which was a very fast-paced affair. I scored the fourth goal, after Marinho ran down the left, controlled the ball with my chest, and shot it into the goalkeeper's corner. We beat River Plate 4-1 back in 1982. We won both of their games. Then we ended up losing to Peñarol here. It was a sad match, but football has these things. The virtue of a good team is to acknowledge defeat because the other team was superior. Appreciating the opponent's victory is important.

\

Catimba: Patience is essential. The catimba is rampant, irritating Brazilian players, and the referee must pay attention to this and be held accountable by the football authorities. If Flamengo prepares and focuses on its objective, this won't get in the way. This group has what it takes to reach the Libertadores.