Cuéllar praises the team's fighting spirit and determination in the victory over Emelec

Cuéllar praises the team's grit and fighting spirit in the victory over Emelec

Midfielder, one of the best on the field at Maracanã, spoke about Vasco and River Plate, the next challenges

By Lucas Dantas - in 17/05/2018 às 01:18

Gustavo Cuéllar delivered another above-average performance this Wednesday in the 2-0 victory over Emelec in the Conmebol Libertadores at the Maracanã. The triumph secured Flamengo's place in the round of 16 of the competition in advance and transformed the match against River Plate next Wednesday in Buenos Aires into a battle for the top spot in the group.

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The Colombian left the field with 41 accurate passes and seven tackles, one of the highlights of the match. And his performance was a reflection of the team, which showed great fighting spirit and sought the result throughout the game, boosting morale for the rest of the season.

"It was a very difficult game. We knew that. That's how the Libertadores is. We won through sheer grit. We fought, we battled, and we always looked for the goal. Everyone attacked, everyone defended. But the team hasn't won anything yet. It was an important step towards what comes next. We are prepared to fight and reach a final that we've wanted for a long time," said the midfielder, who celebrated the result but also spoke about Saturday's derby against Vasco da Gama.

"It's a very important result. We have to defend our lead in the Brazilian Championship against a great team, Vasco. It's going to be a difficult game, for sure, we ran a lot today and it will be even more so on Saturday," he commented.

Next Wednesday, Flamengo faces River Plate at the Monumental de Nunez in a battle for the lead in Group 4. Flamengo has nine points, compared to River Plate's 11. A victory guarantees them the right to play the second leg of the Round of 16 at home. Cuéllar knows the opponent well and has already outlined his expectations for the match in Buenos Aires.

"The match against River will also be crucial. We want to secure first place to finish the Round of 16 at home and also deliver a commanding performance at the Monumental. They are two great teams that will be fighting for the same cause," he concluded.

Saturday's match will be at 19 PM at the Maracanã. Wednesday's match will be at 21:45 PM. Both times are Brasília time.