After the final whistle at Ilha do Urubu, coach Reinaldo Rueda went to the stadium's press room to give a press conference. Speaking about Flamengo's performance in the 2-0 victory over Cruzeiro in the Brazilian Championship, the coach showered the team with praise, even with all the necessary changes.

"We experienced difficult moments in the Copa do Brasil. It's natural that it's a different squad. We have six changes with Réver, Juan, Berrío, Diego, Paolo, and Trauco. But thank God we won through the team's merit, with aggressiveness and organization on the field," said the coach.

Increasingly high investments in the squad mark the club's moment of financial recovery. Commenting on this growth, the Colombian coach praised the work done by the Flamengo board. Despite this, Rueda made it clear that on the pitch, it is the team's attitude and quality that decide matches, emphasizing the importance of team cohesion amidst so many competitions.

"This happens in football, not just in Brazil. Sometimes we need a special time to develop that synergy. The investment is a great merit of the board in the eyes of the fans, but on the field it's the men who play, not the names. A competitive team that seeks results," he commented.

With tough matches in the final rounds of the national competition, Rueda once again highlighted the high level of competitiveness in Brazilian football. The coach commented on Flamengo's quest to secure a spot in next season's Copa Libertadores through the Brazilian Championship, ensuring an intense battle for those spots in this final stretch.

"It will be a fight until the last round. The Brazilian Championship is very competitive, and this situation arises every round. Regarding the spots for the Copa Libertadores, three will be decided in advance. But the other four spots will be up for grabs until the final rounds. That's the trend in the Brasileirão," he predicted.

The absence of big names from the team meant that young players from the Flamengo youth academy, such as Lucas Paquetá, Vinicius Jr., and Felipe Vizeu, received opportunities from the coach. Vinicius's entry, which resulted in him scoring the winning goal at Ilha do Urubu, was praised by Rueda, who highlighted the moment in the game when he came onto the pitch aiming for a greater impact.

"The game was going Vinicius's way. There was a lot of space on the wings, but there was a situation that worried me, which was Everton Ribeiro. He suffered a sudden strain, and I could lose him and Paquetá at that moment. For that reason, I took a little while to make the substitution and put Vinicius on the field. I believe he came on at the right time to decide the game," the coach analyzed.

Next Sunday (12), it will be the turn of Mais Querido to travel to São Paulo, where they will face another important duel in the Brazilian Championship. At Allianz Parque, Reinaldo Rueda's team will face Palmeiras, with the ball rolling from 17 pm.