There's no doubt that Flamengo's main objective in 2010 is winning the Copa Libertadores da América. However, the club's fourth Rio de Janeiro state championship is also on the agenda. And to achieve its two main goals this season, the plan involves winning the first round of the State Championship. Players and coaching staff point out that winning the Taça Guanabara is crucial to maximizing preparation for the Libertadores.

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In the last three editions of the Campeonato Carioca, Flamengo won the Taça Guanabara twice. Only in 2009 did the team win the Taça Rio, but it wasn't competing in the Libertadores. In 2007 and 2008, when they participated in the intercontinental tournament, they achieved their goal of winning the first round of the state championship and the Carioca itself, but were eliminated in the Taça Libertadores. This time, Kleberson, who played in the 2008 Libertadores, hopes for better luck.

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"Everyone knows that the Libertadores is not an easy championship and that it requires a lot of preparation and seriousness to win. But we also really want this fourth state championship, and therefore, the best thing would be to win the Guanabara Cup right away, so the team can enter the second round more relaxed, while competing in the Libertadores. We have the ability to achieve this objective, but we will have to work hard," he analyzed.

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While Flamengo's priority is the Guanabara Cup, coach Andrade is without key players in his squad at the start of the competition. The team already suffered absences in Sunday's match against Duque de Caxias, and on Wednesday, when they face Volta Redonda, the situation will be similar. Without Leonardo Moura, Álvaro, Juan, Petkovic, Adriano, and Vagner Love, the Flamengo coach will have to field a mixed team.

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"Of course we're excited to see everyone playing, Love, who is a player any team would love to have, Adriano returning... But that's normal and whoever is coming in their place will do well, I'm sure. This group is very strong and will prove it," said defender Ronaldo Angelim, who didn't play in the debut but is already available for Wednesday's game.

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Story - The Guanabara Cup was created in 1965 to determine the representative of the state of Guanabara (now the city of Rio de Janeiro) in the Brazil Cup. Although this national tournament only lasted until 1968, the GB Cup continued to be played and became a tradition in Rio de Janeiro football. In 1972, the GB Cup became equivalent to the first round of the Campeonato Carioca. It was only in 1980 that it was contested as an independent tournament. In 1981, the GB Cup returned to being contested by the two best teams from the first round of the state championship. The Rio Cup, equivalent to the second round, was also created.

In 1994 and 1995, the Cup was contested by the two best teams from the first phase of the state championship, which included both rounds. The following year, the previous format returned, with the GB Cup corresponding to the first round and the Rio Cup corresponding to the second. Flamengo is the most successful team in the competition's history, with 18 titles (72, 73, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 89, 95, 96, 99, 01, 04, 07, and 08). Vasco is second with 11. Flamengo is also the only five-time GB Cup champion (78 to 82).