Marcelo Lomba reassured fans, teammates, and coaching staff after last Wednesday's game against Universidad Católica at the Maracanã: they can trust him whenever needed. Named a last-minute starter after Bruno was ruled out at the hotel, Flamengo's young backup goalkeeper performed well and performed well whenever required in the red-and-black team's debut in the Copa Libertadores da América.

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Knowing that a chance for a substitute, especially in his position, can sometimes take a while to arrive, Lomba celebrated his strong performance. In an interview with Rádio Brasil this Thursday, the goalkeeper also emphasized the importance of continuing to live up to the motto that "Flamengo makes stars at home."

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"Opportunities don't always arrive, especially with a goalkeeper. When they do, we have to be prepared. I even joked with Fabrício that one day he was on the internet cover and the next I was. It was cool because we're from the youth academy. And if we can celebrate it, we will. Especially because there's that saying that Flamengo makes stars at home," he said.

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The match against the Chileans wasn't easy. Especially for the defense, which had to work twice as hard after Willians was sent off just two minutes into the match. But even so, Lomba didn't lose his composure—one of his hallmarks. And it's with this humility that he still awaits another chance on Saturday against Macaé.

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"The game was full of adrenaline and there was even a red card right at the beginning. I was calm, well prepared, and Andrade gave me confidence. I still don't know if I'll play on Saturday or not, but if necessary, I'll enter with humility," he said.

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With a decade of dedication to the club, Marcelo is pleased to have lived up to the expectations placed on him.

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"I've been at Flamengo for ten years and I'm happy to be able to show my work to the red-black nation," he concluded.