There's still a week to go, but Flamengo's only topic is Botafogo. This Wednesday, left-back Juan, who has played in the last three state titles won by the Rubro-Negro, against their rivals from General Severiano, gave a press conference after training at Ninho do Urubu, and also discussed next Wednesday's semifinal at 21:50 p.m. at the Maracanã stadium.

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Balance is the key word for the derby. Even after Botafogo was thrashed by Vasco in their first derby of the year, no one in Gávea believes they'll have an easy time against the black and whites.

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"Botafogo has changed a lot, they're a strong team, and I believe that, like every classic, this game will be very even. It's our first game against them this year and we have to go in with a lot of determination to leave the field with the victory," he said.

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Juan believes Botafogo will be a completely different team from their recent encounters with Flamengo. According to him, the black-and-white team could pose a real challenge in this knockout stage of the Guanabara Cup, especially since they have a longtime friend of the Flamengo fans on the bench: Joel Santana.

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"Joel knows Flamengo well, and that makes the game even more difficult. But I'm sure Andrade will know how to organize the team to overcome the strong defensive schemes Joel sets up. And I don't believe it's a defensive strategy, but rather a strong marking ability. That's his characteristic, and we have to know how to overcome that with great quality," he explained.

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Flamengo and Botafogo have decided the last three editions of the Campeonato Carioca, and in each of them, the team from Gávea prevailed. Furthermore, the red-and-blacks have also won a Guanabara Cup and a Rio Cup over their rivals. However, Juan prefers to ignore this history.

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"For me, favoritism comes from the fans and the press, but on the field, everyone knows that doesn't affect anything. There's no point thinking about it in retrospect, because on the field, things are different. If there's no commitment and dedication, victory won't come," he concluded.

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Physical Training - Exactly one week before their match against Botafogo in the Guanabara Cup semifinal, Flamengo is preparing at Ninho do Urubu. This Wednesday morning, the Flamengo team completed a physical activity session that lasted about an hour at the training center. Forward Vagner Love and midfielder Willians, who were in the medical department on Tuesday, also participated in the training session as usual.