The long period of preparation for the derby against Fluminense is nearing its end. With matches valid for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers being played last week, the red-black squad carried out several technical and tactical exercises focused on the derby. After training on Monday (09), coach Reinaldo Rueda gave a press conference in the Victorino Chermont Press Room, at Ninho do Urubu.

Rueda commented on the training sessions held in recent days. "It was a very productive week of work across all aspects. Recovery, the team's offensive and defensive tactics, and working on some important concepts to improve our effectiveness. I believe we'll perform at a good level on Thursday," he stated.

A new and important classic will be the Mais Querido's next challenge this season. Against Fluminense, Flamengo will look to get back to winning ways in the Brazilian Championship. Despite being undefeated against the Rio de Janeiro team this season, with a record of two wins and three draws in the five meetings between the teams, the Colombian coach highlighted the qualities of next Thursday's opponent (12), emphasizing the importance of the match.

"It's a derby with a lot of history in Rio de Janeiro football, and we know everything it means sociologically. Fluminense has a great squad, which is also performing well internationally. A very balanced team, with good players and a coach with a long history. It will be a momentous match for us. We'll be facing a rival that's changing. These classics always have a special ingredient that's reflected in the game's responses," he analyzed.

Paolo Guerrero, Miguel Trauco and Gustavo Cuéllar will be involved in the duel between Peru and Colombia this Wednesday (11), in a match that will decide the fate of their teams in the qualifiers for next year's World Cup. Due to the short space of time between the international duel and the classic, the participation of these three athletes became doubtful in the Fla-Flu.

"These three players will be back on Thursday morning. First Trauco and Paolo. It will depend on whether they're celebrating qualification or not. These are psychological and sociological factors that we need to understand, as they have a major commitment to Flamengo. An hour later, Cuéllar will arrive, according to his itinerary," the coach said. 

Another situation to watch for the match is the participation of midfielder Diego, who is recovering from a thigh problem. The news, however, is promising. "Diego is progressing well, has done a great job of rehabilitation, and is no longer pain-free. He's very motivated, but he may be ready for a few minutes. He'll begin the transition period tomorrow, so it will depend on the response to determine whether he can start the match or get a few minutes," said Rueda.

Another athlete who will require evaluation in the coming days is Vinicius Júnior, who suffered a knee sprain and has been undergoing specific training in recent days. "I spoke with Vinicius, and he said he's pain-free. He's transitioning from the medical department to on-field training. There are three days left, and we're banking on his youth to gain some minutes. It's a similar situation to Diego's. We'll wait for the medical department to release him so we can count on him. We'll see how the player feels, what the doctors and physiotherapists say, and how he assimilates the transition in training prior to training with the rest of the group," the coach said.