Second in the Brazilian Championship with 30 points from 15 rounds, the red-and-black squad has more to celebrate. In all matches so far in the competition, the current squad's defenders have received only four yellow cards, highlighting their technical quality and their commitment to avoiding fouls that could be punished during matches.

"We have a style of defense that doesn't allow for much one-on-one confrontation between players. This ends up reducing the number of cards we receive. This is about defending collectively, not individually. But of course, our technical quality allows us to make smart decisions and facilitate the ball out," Jorge Jesus told the Official Website. 

The red-black coach says he may rest some athletes for the match against Ceará and says that Flamengo will fight for the title in the Libertadores and also in the Brazilian Championship.

"We have a game now in Ceará. We have a chance to win both competitions, we're only two points behind Santos. We can't give up the Brazilian title and prioritize just one competition. We have to know how to perform in both situations. We've been changing some players and we'll see by the weekend how we handle the next match. The idea is to be as strong as possible in both matches," he emphasizes.

Back in the starting lineup in the big win against Internacional, defender Rodrigo Caio praises the red-black defense.

"I'm very happy to be back. Only I know how difficult it is to be out, especially in crucial matches. Against Emelec, I was there cheering and suffered a lot. But injuries are part of a career, and thank God it wasn't serious. I was able to recover very well. I thank the physiotherapists and all the professionals who helped me. Only I know how hard I fought to return for this match against Internacional. It was my wish, and I did it. All the effort and dedication paid off. I played at a high level against a great opponent. That's very gratifying," he emphasizes.

The defender says that the idea of ​​loyalty on the pitch has always been part of his life since childhood.

"A defender doesn't need to be disloyal to impose himself on the field. Something I learned as a kid from my father and in the youth teams. I always arrived firmly, but very loyally, aiming for the ball. This is a characteristic of our defenders, who are very technical and loyal. In my view of football, the defender doesn't need to take hits to show he's better than the attacker. The system is greatly favoring us, playing with close lines. We have an easier time winning the ball and being more involved in plays," says Rodrigo.