Playing on the left wing, Vitinho was a standout player in the match alongside top scorer Paquetá, who netted twice in the 3-0 victory over Corinthians this Friday in Itaquera. The number 14 was largely responsible for Flamengo's attacks, creating dangerous plays and taking the two corner kicks that resulted in Paquetá's goals.

Leaving the stadium, the striker spoke to the press and revealed the conversation he had with coach Dorival Jr., who in two games in charge of the team, selected the number 14 as a starter.

“Dorival arrived and we had a conversation. He commented that I should remain calm because he knew my quality, he trusted me a lot, and that I should play a more relaxed game. Today I managed to impose my game more calmly and get more out of it.”

In his best performance wearing the sacred jersey, Vitinho tormented midfielder Gabriel, who was playing out of position at right-back, throughout the first half. The Flamengo forward worked tirelessly on the left wing, dribbling, attempting shots, taking free kicks, and delivering corner kicks. 

“He has to ask for my participation and I have to participate intentionally. The game was going very well on the left side, we created a lot there and I managed to give good continuity to the plays,” highlighted Vitinho, the Flamengo player who had possession of the ball the most during the 90 minutes at the Arena: 6,44% of the time.

Both the team's performance, which inflicted Corinthians' worst defeat in their own stadium, and Vitinho's contribution are important in building confidence in this final stretch of the Brazilian Championship. With Friday's victory, Flamengo jumped to third place and now awaits the results of the matches of the teams fighting at the top of the table. 

“We’ve always been in the title race, despite the recent results. We were a bit lucky that our opponents didn’t pull away, and today was a good demonstration that we’re still in the game. This game gave us a lot of confidence. An away win against Corinthians, a highly skilled team, motivates us and we’ve found our way,” concluded the Flamengo striker.