In Sunday's derby (August 01.08st) against Vasco, Flamengo is expected to have a new attacking duo. Cristian Borja and Val Baiano, who trained as starters both last Thursday (July 29.07th) and this Friday (July 30.07th), will start against Cruzmaltino. According to coach Rogério Lourenço, this is the best option he has in the squad for the weekend match.

Cristian Borja's first games and strong performances in training have encouraged Rogério Lourenço. The coach praised the Colombian's qualities and physical fitness, which will also be crucial in assisting Val Baiano in this regard.

"I tried to make some variations, but there aren't enough to create suspense. The tendency is for me to start with Val and Borja. Borja is a player with good physical stature when it comes to battling defenders. He makes it difficult for the opponent to anticipate, and he drops well on the wings. I think we can win with him. He played briefly in some games, but he did well. Val Baiano isn't in great physical shape, and Borja is. He'll have to work hard to help Val, and it's obvious that at a time like this, more experienced players are important," he explained.

Despite this, the player praised Diego Maurício and Vinícius Pacheco. In fact, according to the Flamengo manager, the number 22 is likely to be used throughout the match, even if coming off the bench.

"There came a time when we only had Diego Maurício as a striker. We have to try to be fair. Vinícius is a midfielder, who can play as a second striker. I saw some difficulty in certain situations because he is very strong up front. We will try to use him in his strongest position, coming from behind, fast. Even if he doesn't start playing. He feels much better playing in the middle. But little by little things will settle down," he added.

The red-and-black squad will train once more before the derby. This Saturday (July 31.07st), the players will return at 15 pm, in Gávea.

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