On Friday afternoon, the Mais Querido team resumed training at Ninho do Urubu, aiming for its next Brazilian Championship match against Botafogo. After the recovery training session, which the players who started the match participated in, Lucas Paquetá appeared in the Victorino Chermont Press Room to give a press conference.

Having scored the red-black goal in the 1-1 draw against Cruzeiro, the "Garoto do Ninho" once again showed all his joy at having found the net in a match of such importance for the club he has played for throughout his football career.

"Yesterday I fulfilled a childhood dream, which was to play in a Copa do Brasil final for Flamengo in a packed Maracanã stadium. It was a surreal energy. I was so happy with the goal and thanked God so much. I've always had everyone's support here, even when I wasn't getting opportunities. I kept working and knew that one day it would come. I prepared myself thoroughly for this," the young man commented. "I can only thank the whole group for their trust, their support, and for making yesterday such an important day for me. I hope to experience many nights like yesterday," he projected.

A midfielder by trade since the youth academy, Paquetá has been gaining opportunities to play in attack, given Guerrero's absence from the Peruvian national team and Felipe Vizeu's injury, both of whom play in the position. He's still adapting to the role, and given the significant difference in performance compared to his previous role, hard work is crucial to his development.

"I think my biggest challenge is playing with my back to the defenders. I've been playing as a midfielder, so I'm used to watching the game head-on. From the moment I'm placed with my back to the defenders, I lose a bit of awareness of the space, where the ball will fall and where I have to fight for it. But I've been trying to improve day by day in training, because I don't know where the opportunity will arise," commented the number 39.

After an intense first match against the Minas Gerais team in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil final, it's time to turn the tables on the Brazilian Championship. When asked about the next matchup in the final, the number 39 reinforced this thought. "There's always expectation, but our important game is always the next one. Yesterday was a special night, but it's over, and we're focused on facing Botafogo on Sunday," he concluded.

Check out Lucas Paquetá's press conference in full: