Flamengo's route to its second adult futsal state championship will make a stop in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro this Wednesday night. At 19:30 pm, the red-and-blacks will face Poker/PEC at the UCP Gymnasium in Bingen, Petrópolis, in the second leg of the State Futsal Championship semifinal. The first leg, played at the América Gymnasium, ended in a 1-1 draw. Therefore, whoever wins this Wednesday's match will secure a spot in the final. In the event of another tie, overtime will be played, with Petrópolis having the upper hand.

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The state semifinal against a professional team from the mountains, the favorite. Any similarity to the 2008 situation is no coincidence. On that occasion, when Flamengo won the state title for the second time in its history, it also faced a real challenge in the semifinal: it faced Teresópolis, away from home, needing a win. It wasn't easy, but coach Cid Escarlate's team pulled it off. From there, they're inspired to repeat the result, this time against PEC.

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"That semifinal against Teresópolis was memorable. That day we realized once and for all that we could and would be state champions. The group was already united and became even more so. It's definitely a great inspiration," said winger Diego Panazio.

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After extensive training at the Olaria gymnasium on Rua Bariri to adapt to the large size of the UCP gymnasium court, Flamengo is ready for the challenge. The squad is practically complete, with only center Gabriel missing for Wednesday's decisive match, who fractured his arm. Therefore, they should be joined by Rafael Pazos, Magrão, Michel Marques, Diego Panazio, and Antony. Cid also has the skilled Arthur, the decisive Xandó, and the experienced Dudu, Leco, and Jaxwel on the bench, not to mention Silva, always dangerous on set pieces.

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"The team is prepared. We've worked hard for this game, and now it's all or nothing. The Petrópolis team is strong; it's going to be tough, but not impossible. We've been through many difficult situations with this group. We can't be afraid. We'll respect our opponents, but we'll go in there to play as equals and seek this victory and a spot in the final," said winger/defensive midfielder Michel Marques.

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Undefeated, with 39 points earned throughout the competition, Poker/PEC also knows the importance of the match. Winger Alvim, the Petrópolis team's top scorer with 12 goals, believes that home advantage could be decisive in the outcome and comments on the match through the press office of the club from Serra, the current metropolitan adult futsal champion.

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"It's going to be a game of patience. Flamengo is a fast team that counterattacks. We need to stay calm and work on possession. Unlike the first match, played on a small court, we're used to ours, which has larger dimensions. We'll go out and decide the game, but without rushing," analyzed Alvim.