Marcelinho Paraíba arrived in São Paulo last night and is already feeling at home at Flamengo. With his situation regularized, the striker can't wait to wear the red-and-black jersey for the first time. This morning, he participated normally in the recreational training session at Palmeiras' training center and made it clear that he wants to face Santos tomorrow at Vila Belmiro.

"The club worked hard to get me registered, and I'm very happy to be able to play. I didn't expect everything to happen so quickly. After seven years in Germany, I arrived one day, trained the next, and now I'm counting down the hours until my debut. The warmth with which everyone welcomed me here deserves retribution. I'm available and will go into the game with love for the shirt and a lot of determination," promised Marcelinho.

The striker isn't worried about his role on the field. For him, the moment is to help Flamengo secure a crucial victory in the opening round of the second half of the Brazilian Championship.

"Caio talked to me, told me how the team plays, and will see how I adapt best. I don't know if I'll start playing or not, but the important thing is to be ready to help. We have to win, and there will be no shortage of determination to make that happen."

Despite his anxiety about his first match for Flamengo, Marcelinho also can't stop thinking about the match against Grêmio, his first in front of the red-black fans.

"It's even better to debut away from home. With a great performance and a win, the fans will come to Maracanã in even greater numbers to support the team and honor my debut in Rio. There are no easy games, but Flamengo will show its strength in the competition," he assured.