The constant reports of his possible departure from Flamengo haven't shaken left-back Juan's focus in the slightest. At 26 years old, with four titles under his belt and 163 appearances for Flamengo, the player knows exactly what he wants for this season.

"This isn't the first time they've said I'm leaving Flamengo, I'm used to it. What bothers me is that they constantly talk about a situation that doesn't exist, but that doesn't affect my concentration. I need to perform as expected, and that's how I'll be able to win more titles with Flamengo and return to the Brazilian national team," says the full-back.

Training at Granja Comary is, for Juan, an added motivation for all the club's players.

"Flamengo always comes here, we feel good here. It's the home of the most successful team in the world, and that makes anyone dream of one day being here, playing for Brazil."

Although training is still limited to physical training, Juan believes that the strength of the red-black squad will help the team at the start of the season.

"The hardest part is maintaining the core, and we've managed to do that here. Our performance is expected to improve even further. Our group was built to win titles last year, and we have everything we need to achieve our goals in 2009," the fullback believes.