After the red-black team's preparations for this Saturday's classic (08), when they will face Vasco in the Rio Cup semifinal, Zé Ricardo spoke to journalists in the Victorino Chermont Press Room, at Ninho do Urubu. This weekend's match will take place at Maracanã after a long period. Zé commented on the classic's return to the stadium.

"We always talk about how happy we are to play at Maracanã. I think all of us who live in and are from Rio know how important the stadium is to the culture and magic of our state. We already had the opportunity to play against San Lorenzo this year. The fans gave us a tremendous amount of energy," the coach recalled. "It was a different time, and now it's a different championship, but we're certain we'll be playing in a stadium with not only a good pitch but also all the safety measures for the fans who will be there," he emphasized.

Even with the upcoming match against Atlético-PR for the Conmebol Libertadores Bridgestone on Wednesday (13), the coach guaranteed seriousness in the confrontation against Vasco for the Taça Rio. Qualification for the semifinal stage of the Campeonato Carioca is guaranteed. However, the coach and the athletes have the ambition to win the title in this second round of the State Championship.

"We need to understand that every classic has its charm, especially a Flamengo and Vasco match. Our team is highly motivated for the competition. We want to reach the Taça Rio final and, if possible, win it, so we can confirm what we've been trying to set as our goal: to always give our opponents the best they can, with great humility and respect, but with a lot of ambition. That's how we'll face Vasco tomorrow. I hope we can play a great game and give our fans a great victory," assured the Flamengo manager.