After Monday's activities at Ninho do Urubu concluded, the club's new manager, Reinaldo Rueda, was introduced in the Victorino Chermont Press Room. Alongside president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello and football director Rodrigo Caetano, Rueda expressed his satisfaction at beginning this new stage of his career. The coach's contract was signed until the end of 2018.

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"I'm very happy to be at this great institution and seize this opportunity. We'll strive for the reaction that Flamengo, as a great team, needs. It's a great honor and satisfaction to be part of Flamengo's coaching staff. I hope to meet expectations. It will be a huge challenge, but we'll have a lot of dedication and a strong commitment to fulfilling the wishes of the president, the fans, and the Flamengo family as a whole," said the coach.

Beyond his achievements, Rueda is recognized for his teams' attacking prowess. The Colombian makes it clear that, in this particular case, this style of play is ingrained in the club, emphasizing the spirit of the squad. Possible lineups, however, will be defined according to the game plan for each match.

"It's a group that suffers from losing; I saw that yesterday. When the president introduced me to the group, you could tell they're players who suffer from losing, and they want to react. There's a great willingness to work, and I believe a good start will be important. The style is Flamengo's, it's Flamengo's DNA, and the formation regarding the playing system will vary," he explained.

Even before his arrival, the coach received countless messages through social media. A long-held wish of much of the Red-Black Nation, the new Red-Black commander thanked the fans for their warm welcome.

"We are grateful to the fans for the welcome, for their desire to have us here as their coaching staff. As I said before, it makes me very proud. It's something historic. I believe it's been 46 years since Flamengo last had a foreigner. I hope to repay the fans' trust, who supported us upon our arrival," thanked the coach, also speaking on behalf of his assistants.

It's a huge challenge. I'm aware of the responsibility of coming to Flamengo. We Colombians have always followed Brazilian football as a reference, and as a coach, I followed the Colombian players who play here. With the arrival of Orlando Berrío, we began to follow Brazilian football even more with great expectation and interest.

We can't single out foreigners. I believe everyone—the team, the administration, and the coaching staff—is involved. Of course, the players are key players. Juan and Diego speak Spanish, as does Diego Alves. They are team leaders. Paolo does too, as do the youngsters, who are very talented. The collective must be considered equally.

We knew it would be a difficult game, given the team's current form, with a reserve team, and some players who aren't playing regularly. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good match. Until the penalty, the game was evenly matched. Afterward, Atlético gained confidence, and our team lacked a reaction. It wasn't the performance we wanted, but that's football.

These are realities of life and football. I believe we'll face a strong Botafogo team, in good form. I also faced Chapecoense recently. We know them firsthand. I hope this helps us make a difference and achieve our goals.

There's not much patience in soccer, especially in South America. We're very emotional; it's our nature. The important thing is to have a serious sports project, to want something in the medium term. We have to be aware that only results can guarantee its continuity. I know we have the support of the fans, but we have to prove it through results.

That's the difficulty we face now: taking on a project that's already underway. I had offers from several countries, even Colombia, and I didn't want to accept because experience shows it's very difficult. But I think an opportunity like this, from Flamengo, doesn't come around every day. We'll take it on knowing we have immediate and medium-term goals, and we'll bet on success.

Brazilian Cup Semifinal
First, we respect our opponent's current form, but we're aware of Flamengo's philosophy. Modern football demands this level of aggression to face this type of opponent. The Brazilian national team is demonstrating this. It's changed its style. It's not just about "playing the beautiful game." It's necessary to be aggressive and intense to achieve goals.

I believe the institution wants this stigma to end, for us to last a long time and be able to stay here. Flamengo wants us, as the coaching staff, to stay here for a long time. It's something that means a lot to us. Only the team's results on the field can show whether we've broken this paradigm. Flamengo and Brazilian football are committed to us. We hope this ends.

For all of us in Colombia, ever since we were little, when we didn't qualify for the World Cup, we rooted for Brazil. It's very nostalgic to remember all that. My first coaching course was with Carlos Alberto Parreira, and now football is taking us on that path. Brazilian football, for everything it represents at the club and national team level, is a benchmark.