The decisive stages of the competitions in dispute are approaching. The clash between Flamengo and Atlético-PR, held last Wednesday (12), marked the end of the third week of clashes between the teams in Group 4 of the Conmebol Libertadores Bridgestone. With the support of almost 60 thousand fans, who made a historic celebration at Maracanã, center forward Paolo Guerrero and midfielder Diego scored the goals that guaranteed a 2-1 victory over their opponents.

Against San Lorenzo, also at Maracanã, Mais Querido started their journey in the competition on the right foot. The 4-0 thrashing of the Argentine team, which configured Flamengo's best debut in the history of the tournament, drove the nation wild in the stands, who did their part and supported the red-black athletes from the moment they stepped onto the pitch until the referee's final whistle.

However, the rout was followed by a negative result. Despite playing high-level football at the San Carlos de Apoquindo Stadium in the Chilean capital Santiago, Zé Ricardo's men saw Universidad Católica achieved victory by the minimum score, with a goal scored by striker Santiago Silva. Also in the match, Colombian striker Orlando Berrío was sent off and remains suspended.

The result against Atlético-PR was crucial for Flamengo's position in the continent's most prestigious competition. The victory took Flamengo to 6 points, taking first place in Group 4 of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Bridgestone.

In 11 days, it will be Flamengo's turn to visit the team from Paraná, in a match that will be held on Wednesday (26), at Arena da Baixada. Then, the red-black team will host Universidad Católica on May 3 and, closing the group stage, will travel to Argentina, where they will face the San Lorenzo team at the Pedro Bidegain Stadium, the Nuevo Gasómetro, on May 17.

At the national level, the Campeonato Carioca is also entering its decisive phase. After strong performances in the group stages of the Taça Guanabara and Taça Rio, qualification for the state semifinals was comfortably secured. With the best record in the championship, the Mais Querido will face fourth-place Botafogo, heading into the field with the advantage of a draw.

After an intense training session last Friday (14), the cast returns to Ninho do Urubu on Monday (17) to continue preparing for next weekend's classic.