Friday was a day of work at Ninho do Urubu. After training, midfielder Diego appeared at a press conference and spoke with reporters. The topics covered included the derby victory, the refereeing, upcoming challenges, and the Maracanã.

Check out the main excerpts from the conversation:

Level of referees

Refereeing has evolved well in Brazil; they're well-prepared, especially psychologically. Sandro strived for this at all times; he wanted to be fair. He talks to us and the Fluminense players. We, starting with myself, have to respect the referee's decisions. This way, I think not only refereeing will grow, but Brazilian football as well. 

Group in a special moment

The moment we're going through as a group is special. It's a unique group. All the generosity and sacrifice the group has shown is special. It's one of the best environments I've ever worked in. We're on track to achieve our goal. We have a few things to work out. Since I arrived, the team has been reaping the rewards of what they've been sowing for years. When a substitute is needed, the player who comes in has always been up to the task.

Personal situation

I've been 100% dedicated, but I have no doubt that I'm part of a winning team. I owe my adaptation to all the professionals, players, management, and staff. This has made all the difference.

Maracana

Ever since I began to be interested in playing for Flamengo, I've always had this dream. It's a perfect combination of Maracanã and Flamengo. But before that, we have a very tough match against Internacional. We have to dedicate all our energy to this match, and then create a special atmosphere at Maracanã, as everyone expects.

international

It increases the difficulty for us; they're a giant of Brazilian football, and we have to acknowledge that, despite them going through a difficult time, the fact that they need a win makes it difficult, and we're preparing.

Fans against Flamengo

It's no use. For those with the fan base we have, sometimes certain types of provocation go unnoticed. Healthy rivalry is good for football. It's part of football. There must be a limit to avoid violence. We know there's a part that's drying up, but there are 40 million people in favor! Those with this much positive thinking end up not caring about this situation.