Upon returning to work at Ninho do Urubu after the 3-1 defeat to Grêmio in Porto Alegre, Flamengo coach Reinaldo Rueda gave a press conference in the Victorino Chermont Press Room. Rueda commented on the setback last weekend, asking the group to turn the page for Wednesday's (08) match against Cruzeiro. 

According to the coach, the best way to regain confidence before returning to the field is through conversation. "Only through dialogue with the players, taking advantage of the few hours we have and having individual conversations. Analyzing the situation, listening to what the players say and taking responsibility. There was a mental setback, so we have to let go of this game and take what we did best to prepare for the next match," he said.

During the conversation with journalists, Rueda ruled out Juan's participation in the match. The defender continues his recovery with the professionals at CEP FLA, continuing the transition process to training with the ball on the pitch. "Juan will not play tomorrow. He is fine, in transition. He has already left the medical department. However, he is not yet 100%. It is better to prevent a relapse, so we will prepare him for the next game," commented the coach.

The Flamengo coach outlined the final stretch of the Brazilian Championship, with important matches still to come before the competition's conclusion. In this round, the beloved team will count on the support of its fans against Cruzeiro to get back on the winning track. Against the Minas Gerais team, a positive result proves fundamental for Flamengo's aspirations, but it will not be an easy task, as Rueda points out.

"That's the trend in the Brazilian Championship. The final rounds are always more intense. All teams have a very high demand for good performance aiming for the best position in the table. For Flamengo, it's very difficult. They are strong teams, looking to consolidate their position. We have to assimilate this and know that only on the field can we change this situation," he stressed.

We played with five defensive midfielders: Éverton, Arão, Ribeiro, Araújo, and Cuéllar. Not three, but five. The first scoring opportunity came with Arão attacking the open space. It was a special situation because Arão is good at finishing, but he also has a defensive side. It depends on the game. In the defensive phase, we have four defensive midfielders, a 4-5-1. In the offensive phase, we have a 4-1-4-1. This flexibility depends on the moment of the game, on the opponent. I believe it's not so much related to the players' characteristics, but rather to the roles they fulfill.

You know it's not easy. In that game against Grêmio, we had 5 starting players out. Tell me, what team in the Brazilian Championship had that? Juan, Eéver, Diego, Berrío, and Paolo. And we played well for 70 minutes. It's not easy to win without a goalscorer. Flamengo's top scorer (in the Brazilian Championship) is Diego, with 8 goals. Paolo has 6.

Against Grêmio he only played in the last few minutes, but in that position we have players with more rhythm. A great quality of Paquetá is that he adapts to play in various attacking positions. They aren't his natural positions, but he has a lot of character, plays for the team and is very generous in his efforts. He's a player with a lot of talent, heart and fighting spirit to play in any position we need.

I requested Lincoln before the Under-17 World Cup with the Brazilian National Team. We were rooting for his success. Now, thank God, he's back with us. He's a boy with a great future, with good technique and very cerebral and focused. He only had a few training sessions with us, but he did very well. We were hoping to bring him back even before Paolo's problem.

It's a great experience for me. The Brasileirão is very competitive, every position is fiercely contested. Every round we're focused on securing that spot, as we discussed two weeks ago. Brazilian football is very international. It's very competitive, hard-fought. Every game is intense and difficult.