Flamengo presented players Josiel and Gonzalo Fierro at the end of the afternoon this Wednesday, in the Rogério Steinberg auditorium, as the red-black team's latest reinforcements for the Brazilian Championship.

At the official presentation, striker Josiel received the number 9 jersey from the hands of vice president of football, Kleber Leite. The player stated that playing for Flamengo has always been his dream.

"It's a pleasure to play for a club like Flamengo. I'm very happy to be here. I've always wanted to wear this jersey, which carries a lot of weight. Playing in the Brazilian Championship for Flamengo weighed heavily on my decision. I promise to work hard to earn this jersey," said the striker, who signed a loan contract until July 2009.

Top scorer in last year's Brazilian Championship for Paraná, with 20 goals, Josiel hopes to maintain his good goal average from last season at Flamengo.

"It's been so long since Flamengo had a top scorer wearing the number nine jersey. But with that number or any other, I'd still want to be the top scorer. I'll do my best to earn the fans' trust. Since the Brazilian Championship is already halfway through, I'll have to dedicate myself twice as much to meet the fans' expectations."

Attacking midfielder Gonzalo Fierro, 25, introduced himself with high praise for Flamengo's fans. According to the Chilean national team player, the greatness of the Flamengo nation is impressive.

"I know Flamengo has a huge fan base. I hope to bring them a lot of joy. It's a challenge to play for a club with such demanding fans, but I'm calm and won't feel the pressure. Flamengo puts on 40, 50 fans per match, and that's great."

Fierro signed a four-year contract with Flamengo and was given the number 8 jersey at his presentation. The former Colo-Colo player said he didn't hesitate when he received the offer from the Gávea team.

"I'm very happy to be here. I'm really excited. I had an offer from Europe, but when I heard about Flamengo's interest, I didn't think twice. They're one of the biggest clubs in Brazil and always go into games to win," said Fierro, who will face the Brazilian national team on the 7th in a World Cup qualifier.

Fierro spoke a little about his characteristics to Flamengo fans.

"I'm not a creative player. I like to play wide on the right flank, playing with a lot of speed and taking on opponents. My shooting is also a strong point."

photo: lancenet.com.br