The 2023 season has started! On Monday afternoon (26), the red-black squad returned to Ninho do Urubu and began pre-season training with a view to next year's competitions. Mengão will face the Carioca Championship, Super Cup, Club World Cup, Recopa Sudamericana, Libertadores, Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil.

During the athletes' arrival at the CT, Márcio Tannure, CRF's health and high performance manager, spoke to FlaTV about the start of the work.

"Every preseason, we begin with medical evaluations, which include cardiology exams, electrocardiograms, stress tests, and ergometers. All of this can now be done within the training center, thanks to our extensive infrastructure, which is crucial for the process," he said.

"We knew Bruno Henrique's surgery was very complex and that his return time would be around 12 months, with many steps to complete. During the holidays, both he and Rodrigo Caio continued their recovery with our medical department. We hope to begin a new phase of physical transition with Bruno in January, with some action on the field already, to begin his rehabilitation, knowing he still has a long way to go," explained Tannure.

"Regarding Rodrigo Caio, he's an athlete who also underwent treatment during his vacation. So, obviously, every player who undergoes complex surgery has specific, individualized work, with load management. But he will start the preseason normally, with the rest of the squad already doing physical activities," the doctor concluded.

The VP of football, Marcos Braz, and the department's executive director, Bruno Spindel, also spoke with FlaTV about planning for the next season.

"We arrived at the training center early to welcome the new members of Vitor Pereira's coaching staff. They've already met the staff, the environment, and been introduced to the players. Finally, all the tests and procedures have begun to ensure we have a good 2023 season," said Braz.

"We have three very important competitions at the beginning: the Super Cup, the World Cup, and the Recopa. That's why we're back today to begin exams and physical tests, and starting tomorrow we'll begin training with the new coaching staff. The coach will join us on January 2nd to lead a great preseason and prepare the team for the first challenges of the year," revealed Spindel.

The new addition to the squad was the return of fitness coach Mário Monteiro, who returns to the club after a stint in 2019/20. He will be part of Portuguese coach Vítor Pereira's new coaching staff.