Flamengo's U-20 boys haven't played since March 29, when they played the second leg of their semifinal against Nova Iguaçu at Nivaldo Pereira Stadium. The boys didn't advance to the finals, but they're working to repeat their strong performance in the second round of the Carioca Championship, the Taça Rio.

Coach Marcelo Buarque believes in the potential of the boys, who climbed six positions in the table and reached first place in the points phase of the Guanabara Cup. 

"We've been training non-stop this whole time. Now that I'm having more time with the boys, I told them that just because we missed the final doesn't mean we have to get discouraged. When I arrived, we were in seventh place and we finished first (in the qualifying round). That's football. But the boys are already highly motivated to have an excellent second round and finish first again," he said.

The under-20s' first challenge in the Rio Cup will be against Audax, at the Arthur Sendas stadium, at 15 pm, on April 16th.