Decision time. Fla-Flu decides a spot in the Taça Rio final
The classic will be held at Nilton Santos, with a forecast of a great audience.
By Lucas Dantas Flamengo Communication - in
With the Taça Rio over, it's time for another decision. This Thursday, Flamengo faces Fluminense in the Taça Rio semifinal at Nilton Santos Stadium, starting at 20 p.m. And as the anthem says, it's win or lose. A draw will qualify the rivals. A victory puts Mengão in the final of the first half and 90 minutes away from winning the trophy again. If they win, Flamengo will also have a significant advantage in the final, being able to play for a draw, in addition to a full week of work.
With this in mind, the squad worked hard this week at Ninho do Urubu, preparing for the match. In a week when striker Paolo Guerrero returned to training, coach Paulo Cesar Carpegiani fine-tuned the team and conducted several player tests. The CONMEBOL Libertadores doesn't return until April, so Carpegiani has his entire squad available to work. Réver has returned to training and is available.
In their last meeting, they came out on top at Arena Pantanal. Revenge? No. For right-back Rodinei, the last match is behind them, and the focus is entirely on this Thursday's match. Flamengo needs a win, and that's the team's goal on the field.
"They have the advantage of the draw. We don't take revenge as an advantage, because each game has its own story. Our team does. They have the advantage, but we're going for the win. They're a dangerous opponent. We lost the other one, thanks to them. We're not going to go onto the field talking about revenge," Rodinei said after Tuesday's training session.
Check out the full press conference with the right-back on FlaTV.