After this morning's training session in Gávea, where the starting players only did physical exercises in the Club's gym, coach Caio Júnior said he expects another great performance from Flamengo on Sunday, when the red-black team faces Cruzeiro, at Mineirão.

"I really believe in Flamengo. We can certainly get a good result against Cruzeiro. To do that, we have to maintain the same concentration and dedication we had in the match against Palmeiras. Consistency is very important in this Brasileirão. After beating Coritiba 5-0, we drew 2-2 with Portuguesa, and the criticism came. It's important to be 100% focused on Sunday."

For the red-black commander, the next round of the Brazilian Championship will be decisive in defining this year's title.

"For the title, this is a decisive round. For the Libertadores, I believe it will be decided in the penultimate round. The focus here is on doing our part. The hardest part is depending on the other teams. Our chances of winning the Libertadores are very real, so we have to go all out. We have to win and hope our direct rivals lose."

Caio Júnior praised the quality of Cruzeiro's midfield. According to the coach, the Minas Gerais team has good players to cover for Wagner, who will be out for Sunday's match.

"Wagner is a great player, but Cruzeiro isn't just him. They have Ramires, Guilherme, and Gerson Magrão. They're a very technical team that always puts on strong performances at Mineirão. I believe their strength lies in their midfield. It's the best in Brazil. They're a different team from Palmeiras, which plays with their two strikers. They, on the other hand, rely heavily on midfield movement. Furthermore, we have to keep an eye on other factors, such as the players' mental health and the intense afternoon heat at Mineirão."