After recreational training this morning in Gávea, coach Caio Júnior praised Flamengo's start to the Brazilian Championship, but made a point of remembering that tomorrow's game against São Paulo at Maracanã should be seen as a final.

"It's very important to be ahead, especially at the start of the competition. But there's no point in deluding ourselves with that. We have to go into it convinced that the game against São Paulo is a decisive one. We're not going to worry about what will happen at the end of the championship. It's natural that we'll be asked about favoritism, but there will be ups and downs, and that's why we need to stay focused."

For Caio Júnior, even with the irregular start to the championship, São Paulo is a strong candidate for the Brazilian title.

-"In the last two years, São Paulo started well and finished well. This year is different, but it's clear that they are a strong contender for the title."

The red-black commander promised the team a lot of fighting in search of victory, which would put the Gávea team in an excellent position in the national championship.

-"Stepping onto the field wearing a Flamengo jersey always requires fighting to win. Tomorrow the fans will be as decisive as they were in that victory last year. And they can be sure that we will fight as hard as we did then."