It's not easy for an experienced player to miss a crucial match for his club. Kleberson knows this all too well. Last Wednesday, he wasn't included in the squad for the first leg of the round of 16 against Corinthians, but in the second leg, at Pacaembu Stadium, he came off the bench to provide the assist that put Vagner Love in front of goal to score the goal that sealed the Red-Black's qualification.

The number 15 did not hide that he was upset about not having played at Maracanã, but revealed that at no point did he stop believing that he could be useful to the team.

"Every player is upset about being out of the team. But I turned that upset into confidence and determination to help. I was happy tonight. I respected the coach's decision, but I kept working. The opportunity came, and I think I took advantage of it. I'm happy to have helped Flamengo and I hope to continue contributing to the team in the Libertadores," said Kleberson.

A certain presence in the Brazilian national team's recent call-ups for qualifiers and friendlies, the player dreams of a spot in the World Cup and believes that his good performance against Corinthians could help him secure his ticket to South Africa.

"Dunga knows my potential, and so does Jorginho. I have to be calm and confident. I haven't been playing, but I've always shown I can. Now it's time to wait and see what comes next. The national team is a consequence of the work," concluded the player, who was also highly praised by his teammates.

"Kleberson deserves all the praise for the person he is and the football he plays. He helped the team in the second half, both in marking and leading the counterattacks, and he deserves congratulations. He wasn't with us last game, but today he was one of the most important figures," observed Leonardo Moura.

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