This Wednesday (04), after training at Ninho do Urubu, goalkeeper Diego Alves was present at the Victorino Chermont Press Room, where he gave a press conference. During the period of games between national teams for the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers, which will last until next week, the red-black athletes who were not called up to represent their countries will have more time to prepare for the next challenges.

The Mais Querido's schedule has been extremely busy throughout the season. Given the possibility of more detailed work due to the lack of games, the club's number one noted that there are details that can be corrected during this time, as well as showing improvement in his physical condition.

"We have a few days to work. Sometimes, the short period of games means we don't have much time to prepare the players. There's always a game and then a rest. So these days are good for the team to be able to focus all their energy on training, improve, and focus on the upcoming games," he said.

In the next commitment for the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo will face the classic against Fluminense. The match, which will be staged at Maracanã, will only be played on Thursday (12), but it fills the thoughts of athletes and coaching staff in this resumption of work.

"A classic is always different. There's never a situation like this where one team is down and the other is up, especially with the South American matches, which is a separate competition. Fluminense even achieved an important qualification playing in Ecuador. This shows that when the competition changes, the mood changes, and anything can happen. We have to be prepared for both situations, both in the Brazilian Championship and the South American Championship, and our work will be focused on that," commented Diego Alves, who spoke about his objectives for the rest of the season. "The first step has to be in the Brazilian Championship, making it clear that the South American Championship is a competition in which we have great possibilities. But the main objective now is the Brazilian Championship, reaching the top four and securing that spot," he added.

With strong performances in his matches, the goalkeeper still plans to return to the Brazilian national team. However, Diego Alves's focus is on his work with Rubro-Negro, focusing primarily on the team's success this season.

"Although being in the World Cup is a goal, day-to-day work must be focused on Flamengo first and foremost, taking advantage of every game. I know that within the national team, Tite has several options in every position, not just in goal," he observed. "The players who are not currently in the squad must be prepared, regardless of whether they are currently in the squad. I believe we must work to improve, to be in good shape, and, when the opportunity to be called up arises, to perform up to the challenge," he stated, emphasizing his focus on the goals at both institutions. "I hope to continue working here, growing, and perhaps return to the national team in the future," he concluded.

If we didn't have time to rest, it was because we reached the Copa do Brasil final. Also in the Libertadores and now in the Sudamericana. If you ask me, I prefer it that way, because it's a sign that we're advancing and participating in all the competitions, which is important. We have to improve. Every player has to think about improving daily, and this time is a good time to focus on what needs to be done better and further improve what we've already done well.

He's a very important player, not only on but also off the field. He's a role model. A player who takes responsibility and will certainly be a significant loss for the team. I hope he recovers well and as quickly as possible.

Rueda arrived recently and is just starting his new job. We also know that here at Flamengo, a small thing can turn into a hurricane. I don't think that's the right time to make that kind of comparison. Rueda is working every day to improve, and so are we players. We're hurt by the team's situation because it's not what we want. We'll work to improve, and the fans can be sure of that. I know we're going through a turbulent time, but we'll do everything we can to regain that confidence.

We have to improve in both areas: offensively, defensively, and in midfield. We're aware of the situation, the mistakes we're making, and our work will be focused on that. So we can improve and maintain consistency, and gain confidence in both.

Not only us here at Flamengo, but other teams also face this kind of situation. This international break means these players aren't with the team, but we can certainly work on it. Our day-to-day operations are focused on the team, not on individual players, so that the team has a clear understanding of what the coach wants and the improvements we want for the future.

Rueda is a coach who demonstrates great calm on a daily basis. He has a way of working that I find important, as does his way of communicating with the players. He might feel uncomfortable with a journalist's question or a question with a double meaning. The work has been focused on improving the team, but football is about results. We have to adjust what needs to be fixed to secure a victory in the next round of the Brazilian Championship and gain confidence for the upcoming matches.

There's an adjustment period, which is normal. He's fortunate that we have some players who speak the same language and can communicate better. He can already express himself better with a few words in Portuguese. So, we see that his mindset is to always try to be close to the players, which is important. This builds confidence. His way of working is also clear and direct. We're not in a winning moment, but the work is focused on improving the team through a lot of dialogue.