The next round of the Campeonato Carioca juniors will pit the top two teams in the competition against each other. On one side, Flamengo, with 20 points, and on the other, Nova Iguaçu, with 25 points after ten games. With only five matches remaining until the semifinalists are determined, coach Marcelo Buarque sees this matchup as crucial for the club's ambitions.

"Their team is good, a little older than ours, and tough. But we're in a very good moment. It will be a good game, decided by one detail or another. A victory for us puts us very close to them. We're aiming for that first place. It's a game we have to win. It will be important for our progress," he said.

The matchup will also be interesting because it pits the competition's best attack, Flamengo, against Nova Iguaçu's best defense. To break through the Baixada team's efficient defense, Flamengo relies on Douglas Baggio, the top-scoring striker in the Campeonato Carioca.

"I already knew Douglas. He's been proving his ability to score goals. I talk to him a lot to keep him from getting carried away. But he has a good head on his shoulders. He's increasingly confirming the reputation he's had since the youth team. Scoring goals isn't easy, but he has an easy time of it because of his talent and quality. He strives to improve in training and is mature for his young age," said Marcelo Buarque about the 19-year-old.