Maintaining the core of the Brazilian champion team is a priority at Gávea. Keeping the key players from 2009 has been the football department's main task for the season, which begins next January. Coach Andrade has already revealed that the team needs three or four players, but the first step is to secure the retention of players who were part of the sixth-championship campaign.

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The red-and-black manager even believes the time to celebrate the title has passed. Andrade outlines his goals for 2010, highlighting the Copa Libertadores da América and a fourth Carioca Championship title as the red-and-black team's biggest goals. To achieve this, the coach believes the team needs ambition and reinforcements.

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"The Brazilian Championship was a great achievement, but it's over. We have to aim for something more important. We can achieve more. To do that, we'll need greater ambition. The team needs three or four experienced reinforcements. I just won't say in which positions," said the coach.

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Flamengo's vice president of football, Marcos Braz, is another person who believes the team doesn't need to strengthen significantly if it maintains its core. According to the director, the club will do its best to retain the key players from Andrade's squad and then cautiously try to strengthen itself.

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"The football department's priority is renewals. From there, we will reinforce ourselves with specific signings," explained Marcos Braz.

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Adriano – The Emperor's contract with Flamengo runs until June 2010, but after the success of the campaign that led to Flamengo's sixth Brazilian championship title, in which he was top scorer (alongside Diego Tardelli, with 19 goals), his departure from the club began to be speculated. However, his agent, Gilmar Rinaldi, stated that the number 10 will remain at Gávea next season. The Emperor's main motivation for staying at Gávea is the proximity of the 2010 World Cup and the fact that the Rubro-Negro will be in the Copa Libertadores next season.

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"We have the World Cup project in mind, which is more important than anything else right now. Adriano is happy, he was the top scorer in the Brazilian Championship and decided to stay where he feels at home," said Gilmar Rinaldi.