Flamengo returns to the field for the Libertadores against Barcelona de Guayaquil this Wednesday (11), at 21:30 pm, at Maracanã. Seeking victory to guarantee a good score in group A, Jorge Jesus' team finalized its preparation for the match this morning. Before the activity, left-back Filipe Luís spoke about defending the title of the competition.

"Defending the title is great. You can see the weight has been lifted from the players. The Libertadores is very different. I think the only similarity is the knockout stage. Different environments, pitch, altitude, odysseys to get to places... We have a title to defend. We understand why people are putting this poster on us, but we know that what defines the Libertadores is the European summer market. A lot can happen. But we're confident we can do things, especially at home," he says.

When asked about his first months at Flamengo, the player highlighted that this is the best moment of his career. 

"Since I arrived here, everything has been better than expected. The team, the fans, the way the team plays. I love it. Rafinha and I are different, but we complement each other; I think that's important. In this last part of the back four, we always try to talk to the defenders, make adjustments, so the team doesn't concede goals. From the beginning, I've felt at home and I hope it stays for many years. It's the best moment of my career. Even physically, the team makes me better than before, and I'm delighted," he highlights.