If it's up to Adriano, the Maracanã will be packed this Wednesday for Flamengo's Copa Libertadores debut. In a press conference after Monday's training session at Ninho do Urubu, the Emperor reiterated his invitation to fans to support the red-and-black team in their match against Universidad Católica at the Maracanã.

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Rio de Janeiro's cultural heritage, the twelfth player and largest fan base in Brazil, the Nação Rubro-Negra (Red-Black Nation) is considered by the Emperor to be essential to any Flamengo match. According to him, the fans' affection for this group is a great motivation for the squad.

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"I ask the fans to come and cheer us on, because their presence is always very important. They give us a lot of affection, they always have, and our fans are an extra man on the field. They will certainly give us the strength we need to continue working," said Imperador.

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The player believes that the loss to Botafogo in the Guanabara Cup semifinal cannot and will not harm the relationship between the team and the fans. For the number 10, the group is aware of the importance of a strong Libertadores campaign and will do everything possible for itself and the fans.

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"It's possible to separate the competitions, but since there's little time, we're still thinking about the defeat to Botafogo, of course, but we know the importance of starting the Libertadores well to show what we can really do on the field," he said.

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In 2009, Flamengo's fan base reached impressive numbers at Maracanã. In seven games that year, the nation packed over 80 fans into the stadium. The team from Gávea has the largest attendance ever for a club match at the World's Biggest Stadium: a Flamengo vs. Flu match in 1963, with 194.603 fans.