Flamengo was crowned Brazilian soccer champion last weekend. Now, it's the U-20 team's turn to pursue the national title. The Rubro-Negro's participation in the Brazilian U-20 Championship begins this Tuesday in Rio Grande do Sul. The team from Gávea is in Group 4 of the competition, alongside Coritiba, Goiás, Náutico, and Palmeiras, and makes its debut at 21 p.m. on Tuesday against Goiás in Santa Rosa, Rio Grande do Sul. The youngsters' goal is to replicate the success of the professional team and conquer Brazil.

\

The mission, however, is not easy. The red-and-black team will have only one player with professional experience, right-back Rafael Galhardo. The other players under 20 have been released by the board and are on vacation. Therefore, the core of the group competing in the Brazilian Championship should consist of Marcelo Carné, Galahrdo, Lucas, Michel, Cristiano, and Anderson; Luiz Antonio, João Vitor, and Dieguinho; Paquetá and Diego Maurício. The coach is Armênio Moura.

\

Left-back Vitor Saba, who suffered a knee injury and returned to training just a week ago, was expected to start, but due to this issue, he'll likely start the competition on the bench. Even so, he's excited about the prospect of competing in such a major tournament and says the team will go after that title.

\

"It's a very good tournament, which gives a lot of visibility. It's a shame I got injured, but other than that, I believe the group will go very far. They have the quality and desire to do so," said Saba.

\

The competition will be held from December 7 to 22, 2009, in five cities in Rio Grande do Sul: Novo Hamburgo, Santa Maria, Erechim, Santa Rosa, and Porto Alegre. The Brazilian Under-20 Championship is a national-level competition with international acclaim, and in its fourth edition, it is fully established on the calendar of the country's major competitions. The first phase will feature 1 matches broadcast live throughout Brazil and several countries abroad, and the final phase will feature seven of the eight matches.