The Copa Rio Femenina match against Botafogo will be played by the U-20s

The youth team will play the classic this Wednesday (22); Under the guidance of the DM and physical preparation, Cida and Darlene will be on the field to gain rhythm

By Flamengo Communication - in 21/02/2023 às 12:53

After beating Fluminense 1-0 in the opening match of the Copa Rio, the Mais Querido professional is training hard with an eye on the first round of the Brasileirão Feminino, which will be next Friday (24), against Santos, at 20 pm, at Vila Belmiro. However, the second round of the regional tournament is scheduled for tomorrow and, due to the calendar, the Under-20 team will play.

In Gávea, the youth team will face Botafogo at 15 p.m., broadcast on FlaTV and FlaTV+. Defender Cida and attacking midfielder Darlene will reinforce the squad on the recommendation of the Medical and Physical Training Department, who see the match as an opportunity to give more rhythm to the professional players, who have recently recovered from injuries.

"The Copa Rio was created after a meeting between Rio's four major clubs to meet a competitive need during the preseason. Since the State Championships only take place in the second half of the year, the possibility arose of using the championship as a form of preparation. The competition isn't yet ideal for Flamengo, as our calendar began in February with the Super Cup, but understanding the current situation, we agreed. So, we're using the tournament to refresh the players who aren't playing much professionally and to rotate our U-20 team, which is preparing for the start of the Brazilian Championship," stated André Rocha, Mengão's women's soccer manager.

The U-20 team returned for the season in January with well-known faces and standouts from the 17 U-2022 State Championship. In recent weeks, some reinforcements have arrived, including defenders Barbieri and Carol Trezzi, midfielder Ju Romanelli, and forward Nathy Lima. According to coach Celso Silva, the match is a chance to showcase the team's work, and the main objective is to represent the red-and-black team's identity.

"The first point we need to consider is that this is important to demonstrate strength. The fact that we can rotate the girls and foster a challenging environment for their development clearly demonstrates the ambition of the club's project. The second is that it's a chance to prepare for the Brazilian Championship in this category. We started preseason in January, and since then, we've been able to successfully balance all the demands of medical care and physical preparation. We've been on the rise, our training is getting better and better, and expectations are high. We strongly believe in the potential of our athletes, and this initiative will bear fruit. Now it's time to take the field with the responsibility of those who wear the Manto and with the understanding that this is a great opportunity to showcase our work across the entire calendar. Our goal remains the same: to develop through winning and aiming for titles," he declared.

Related athletes

Isa Cruz and Victoria; Ana Laura, Bruna, Diovanna, Ingrid and Yasmin Maciel; Alessandra, Carol Trezzi, Cida, Kethilyn and Lorena; Darlene, Ju Romanelli, Laís, Letícia, Maria Peck and Myla; Ana Donato, Duda Rodrigues, Ingrid Santos, Nathy Lima and Pimenta.

Dispute system

The tournament is new, and the clubs will face each other in two rounds. At the end, the team with the most points will be declared champion.

This is the first time that FERJ has organized a points-based championship.

Social media coverage

You can follow the match live on Flamengo's official social media channels using the hashtag #MeninasDaGávea.