Serbian Petkovic was spared from Tuesday morning's physical training session at CT Ninho do Urubu in Vargem Grande. Despite muscle pain, the player is confirmed for Sunday's match against Atlético-PR in Curitiba. A standout for Flamengo in the victory over Santo André, the midfielder said after today's training session that he has much more to offer the team.

"I'm progressing slowly. I had to take a break due to muscle pain, but I believe I can grow even more. I work daily with the physical department and dedicate myself immensely. I'm a fully professional player and try to replicate in the game what I do in training. If I train well, my chances of playing well increase. I'm trying to get up to speed with my teammates. If I keep dedicating myself, good things will come naturally. Based on my experience, I always see room for improvement. At a club like Flamengo, it's always important to maintain a high level of performance."

Petkovic asked his teammates to pay extra attention for the match at Arena da Baixada.

"It's always very difficult to play there. Proof of this is that Flamengo has never won there. Atlético-PR started the championship poorly, but recovered and is improving steadily. The pressure at the Arena is always immense. It's certainly a good place for the host. But Flamengo knows this, and we'll play with extra focus. We're going after the win."