'It's our dream and desire,' says Rodrigo Caio about the Libertadores
The red-black defender spoke to the press on Tuesday afternoon (12), at Ninho do Urubu
By Communication - Flamengo - inPreparations for the home debut in the Conmebol Libertadores are in full swing. This Tuesday (12), before the activity led by coach Abel Braga, defender Rodrigo Caio gave a press conference in the Victorino Chermont press room, at Ninho do Urubu, and showed confidence for the unfolding of the week and excitement with the tickets sold out by the Nação Rubro-Negra.
"IIt's a great joy and shows how much the fans trust us. They will support us in this important moment, and on the field, we will try to demonstrate our strength, commitment, and dedication to achieve a positive result. That's what the fans will want in the stadium; on the field, there can be no shortage of commitment and motivation. We're happy to have the nation supporting us. You can be sure that on Wednesday we will play a great game."
Regarding the Ecuadorian team's style of play, Rodrigo highlighted the words of coach Abel Braga.
"Professor Abel talked a lot about aerial plays. At altitude, we've already had these crosses into the box, and San José's plays were like that. LDU is no different, they have tall players, but we're prepared for this. Let's all be focused for the full 90 minutes to put on a great match," he emphasized.
Regarding the strength of the red-black squad, which allowed for rotation in recent matches, the number 3 was emphatic.
"We are 100%. We have been left out of the clan"Ssico shows confidence in everyone on the squad. We have a strong and qualified group; when needed, everyone steps up to the plate. This will be important throughout the year; whoever the coach chooses to play will be 100% ready to be decisive," said the defender.
"The fans' will is our will. It's our desire and our dream. We work for this, to win major competitions. The Libertadores is one of those, and we'll leave everything on the field. Our soul, dedication, and every drop of sweat to put on a great match. We'll go for the result throughout the 90 minutes."
Check out other answers from Rodrigo Caio during the press conference.
Three home games
It's a huge responsibility. There are three home games, and we'll take it one game at a time. First, LDU—we know the responsibility—decides first place in the group, and we need to be 100% focused. Any slip-up or small detail, whether for or against, will decide the match.
The rapport between Bruno Henrique and Gabigol
They've played together at Santos, which helps them gel. Gabriel is more of a box-to-box player, while Bruno is more of an escape player and an individual playmaker. They know each other very well, and that adds a lot to our team. Our attacking players are strong and can decide any game.
Attitude of South American teams
South American teams play better away from home than at home because they don't have the responsibility to dictate the game. They'll counterattack, waiting for their opponent to make a mistake, and in our stadium, with our fans, we need to be very attentive. That's what we need to do, bringing the fans to our side. We'll be intense and try to neutralize every move our opponent makes.
Check out the full interview on FlaTV: