After this morning's tactical drill, coach Caio Júnior stated that he expects Sunday's derby between Flamengo and Botafogo to be a close one. According to the Flamengo manager, Ney Franco's team is well-coordinated and boasts a wealth of midfield talent.

"I wasn't here, but we faced Botafogo in the state final, and our opponent has a team I admire. They've been playing together for a while, with a lot of quality in midfield, and at one point they were even competing for the Brazilian title. It's going to be a good game, very competitive, and we have to be careful."

Caio Júnior believes referee Marcelo de Lima Henrique can perform well in Sunday's derby. The coach believes the problems in the Guanabara Cup final between Flamengo and Botafogo are a thing of the past.

"Regarding the refereeing, I know there was a problem with the state championship decision, but I prefer to believe that if the referee was selected, it's because he's competent. The past is left aside. The referee can't get caught up in the past. He has to act according to what happens in the match."