Sunday, I'm going to Maracanã... Seriously. How long has it been since you sang that? The last time Mengão stepped onto the Maracanã pitch on a Sunday was June 18, 2017, for a 2-2 draw with Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship. On the 06th, it will be 322 days since the match was played. But the time has come to bring it all back together. At 16 p.m., the ball will roll for a Flamengo vs. Internacional match packed with attractions and history. Tickets? EX-SOLD-OUT. 

Just to check: 

• Flamengo plays for leadership
• Flamengo plays to get going
• Paolo Guerrero may return to the team
• It's one of the biggest classics in our football
• We have great memories against them
• Maracanã will be packed with more than 60 thousand fans
• Let's stop with the lists here because then I'll have no lists further down. 

So, there's no excuse. Sunday will be Maracanã day. A classic Rio Sunday.

And if you're looking for even more attractions, check out some interesting facts about Flamengo vs Internacional that we've listed below. 

1. In 87 it was pure magic

Of course, the list had to start with the greatest Flamengo vs. Internacional match of all time and all the galaxies. In the 16th minute of the first half, Andrade found Bebeto at the edge of the box and passed the ball perfectly. The young striker, still wearing the number nine, ran and beat Taffarel to score the only goal in the 1987 Brazilian Championship final. The only final between the teams. A duel, until then, between the only three-time national champions. 

The photo of the goal is beautiful, isn't it? But what about the first game? Of course, what sticks in the memory is the final, the final. But the first game was a mad battle at Beira Rio, where Flamengo snatched a 1-1 draw with a beautiful goal from Bebeto after an AMAZING play by Renato Gaúcho. The draw paved the way for victory in Rio de Janeiro. 

2. Juan Artilleryman

Defender Juan made his Flamengo debut against Desportiva in July 1996. He comes and goes, starts, plays as a substitute, time passes and on April 24, 1997, Juan faces Internacional at the Maracanã in the Copa do Brasil. A tight game, a 0-0 draw was Flamengo's (1-1 in the first leg), and in the 36th minute of the second half, after a corner kick, Juan controls the ball and shoots powerfully to score the winning goal, the first of 32 goals scored by the professionals. 

4. The Empire Strikes Back

Conceding a goal to Emperor Adriano is already a source of honor. Some goalkeepers don't like it, but one day they'll be able to tell that story. And conceding three? Internacional had that honor. Lauro scored four times on that June 21, 2009, three of them perfect shots from the red-and-black number 10. The fun began in the 12th minute. Íbson passed the ball to Adriano, who skillfully chipped it over the goalkeeper. 

In the 35th minute, Emerson scored the second, and Inter were knocked out for the second time. Strong as they are, they got back up. And just when they thought they could make it to halftime without further damage, they suffered another heavy blow. A Ziconian free kick, Adriano scored the third in the 46th minute. And the Emperor was never satisfied. In the 22nd minute, from the penalty spot, he delivered the fatal blow and knocked out Colorado.  

5. The Chaos is Over

On May 29, 2015, Flamengo officially announced the signing of striker Paolo Guerrero. Fans, however, waited more than a month to see their star player in the Sacred Mantle, due to his commitments with the Peruvian national team in the Copa América. But the time has come. Guerrero made his debut, and the chaos ended immediately. And against whom was it? Of course, against Internacional, and at their home ground. 

Just 10 minutes in, the number nine scored the first of his 42 goals for Flamengo, after receiving a pass from Canteros. In the second half, he found Everton to extend his lead and seal the victory. His debut was away from home, but just as the nation wanted.

6. Our friend of achievements

In five of the six times Flamengo won the Brazilian championship, Internacional played a key role. The first time, in 1980, Zico scored the only goal in the victory against the incredible team that won in 79. An Inter with Mauro Galvão, Claudio Mineiro, Batista, Bira and Mario Sergio couldn't resist Mengão at Maracanã. In 1982, the match was held at Beira Rio, and in a comeback, with goals from Zico, Reinaldo, and Vitor, Flamengo won 3-2. The following year, the teams did not face each other. 

In '87, as the song goes, it was pure magic. In the qualifying round, a loss and a draw against them. But when it comes down to it, everyone knows the outcome. The '92 fifth title also had a bit of Internacional in it. Junior scored that "so-so" goal below, in the 2-0 victory at Maracanã on May 31st. 

And in 2009, beyond what the Emperor did on the field, in the final round, the title race was against them. Flamengo was playing at the Maracanã against Grêmio, while they hosted Santo André at the Beira Rio stadium. They needed to win and for Flamengo to lose. They did their part, thrashing them 4-1, and celebrating. But they hadn't counted on "There's only one Ronaldo" Angelim, who climbed higher than the Laçador Statue and placed Mengão's sixth national trophy in the trophy cabinet.

This Sunday, Flamengo looks to solidify its lead in the 2018 Brazilian Championship. Internacional is one of the most traditional and powerful opponents in Brazilian football. The derby promises to be a great one. With a packed Maracanã stadium, a Sunday that's all about Rio, the ball is rolling and GO FOR THEM, MENGO!