Flamengo's U-20s have another big commitment this Wednesday (3/4), in the season with a calendar that includes all the main competitions in the category. After reaching the semifinals of the Copinha, serving as a professional in the Campeonato Carioca, and winning the Libertadores, Mengão debuts against Goiás in the Brasileirão, in Goiânia, at 15:30 pm.

The reigning national champion, having defeated Palmeiras 3-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in regulation time, Flamengo is seeking its third Brasileirão title. In 2019, they also lifted the trophy against the same opponent, beating them 3-0 at the Kleber Andrade Stadium in Cariacica. With the motto of developing winning players and placing as many athletes as possible in the professional squad, the U-20 team always comes out strong in the national championship. Since 2018, the team has reached every semifinal of the competition. Coach Mario Jorge spoke about these achievements and his expectations for the 2024 debut.

"It's a zero burden for us. We have to really focus on what we deliver. We've been demonstrating this in recent years. We've had a lot of roster changes. Many players have been promoted to the professional team, others are being traded, and we continue to deliver impressive results in the category, as seen in these last few years. In these six years, we've reached at least the semifinals of the Brazilian Championship, but then there's also the Copa do Brasil final, the State Championship final, Brazilian titles, and now the Libertadores title. And yet, Flamengo's youth academy continues to bring players to the professional team with a very aligned development process. We continue to deliver a very competitive U-6 team, and that's what we believe. That's what we'll continue to aim for. In other words, there's zero pressure for us in the competition, and we know our responsibility," said Mario, who concluded by speaking about preparation.

"Our preparation was good. We returned from the Libertadores on March 18th, and we managed to recover some players who were very worn out. Unfortunately, we lost Caio to a muscle injury. But we're promoting some players. We have new players arriving, players we signed up at the Copa São Paulo, players our recruitment department also brought into the club. Ultimately, we've achieved greater balance for our team, while also promoting some young players. Rayan (Lucas) and Lorran are already training directly with the professional team, as are other young players. Lorran was even included in the squad for the professional team's Libertadores debut, and Rayan is with us here to play the first game. So, our preparation went smoothly, as did the activities leading up to the game. We managed to hold a training session here at Atlético Goianiense's training center to fine-tune some aspects of the game plan, and we'll see how the boys perform. We'll take advantage of their good form and try to put on a great performance," he concluded.

Goiás and Flamengo face off at 15:30 pm at the Hailé Pinheiro Stadium in Goiânia. Flamengo fans can also show up to support the "Garotos do Ninho" (Nest Boys). The ticket price is one kilo of non-perishable food. There will be no physical tickets, so Flamengo fans must register for facial recognition on the website: ingresso.goiasec.com.br. The Nation will enter through Gate 3. TV Goiás will broadcast the game with images on YouTube. Let's go, Flamengo!