After seven rounds of alternating midweek and weekend games, coach Andrade finally has a full week, as the soccer slang goes, to work. Flamengo doesn't play again until next Wednesday, against Botafogo, in the Guanabara Cup semifinal. Therefore, until then, the coach intends to fine-tune the team's details, especially the defense, which conceded numerous goals in the first phase of the competition.

\

The Flamengo manager hopes to make the most of the days leading up to the match. According to him, Flamengo is already thinking about Botafogo, and starting with training this Wednesday, exactly one week before the semifinal kickoff, the coach will begin defining his team's game plan. A practice match may be scheduled for next Saturday to prevent the team from losing match rhythm.

\

"We finally have a long week to work, and we'll try to make the most of these training sessions in every way possible. Both technically and tactically, we have to fix some things defensively, and we'll work on that well. Vagner Love and Williams will be back training with us on Wednesday, and we'll take the opportunity to see what I found wrong in the first phase and correct it," he said.

\

Andrade is also eagerly awaiting the duel with Botafogo coach Joel Santana. He's familiar with the style of play used by his rival's teams and is already thinking about the best way to neutralize Botafogo's strengths.

\

"I know Joel, I know he places a lot of importance on defense, and we can't expose ourselves too much, because his teams' main characteristic is playing on the counterattack," he analyzed.

\

Tactical Training - On Tuesday, the first day of activities for the full Flamengo squad ahead of the Guanabara Cup semifinal against Botafogo, coach Andrade led a tactical training session at Ninho do Urubu. The training session involved four teams split into three separate fields, with no distinction between starters and reserves. Vagner Love, recovering from thigh pain, performed exercises in the physical therapy room.