With preparations concluded for another important match in the Brazilian Championship, coach Reinaldo Rueda gave a press conference in the Victorino Chermont Press Room at Ninho do Urubu. In a crucial six-point game in the quest for direct qualification for the 2018 Libertadores Cup, Flamengo will face Vasco da Gama at the Maracanã, a stadium that has hosted historic clashes between the teams.

Regarding the rivalry, Rueda highlighted important factors that make this match special. "Football has these sociological components. I believe it's normal in our Latin culture that all these aspects symbolize this historical rivalry. I see that here, the duels against Vasco and Botafogo are taken very intensely because they are teams from the same city and because of the process these clubs have gone through," he observed.

In the first leg, a goal from number 22 Éverton secured the victory for Flamengo at São Januário. However, this Saturday's opponent is in a different situation after changes in coaching staff, achieving a winning streak in the championship that puts them in direct competition with Flamengo. Rueda discussed the upcoming derby, analyzing the current form of the Rio de Janeiro team.

"It will be a very intense match, and the important thing is that we play a good game, that our fans can enjoy a team that plays intelligently, with the result we aspire to. We will face a respectable rival, who has grown a lot. Coach Zé Ricardo has been encouraging them with this series of very important results, being in the Libertadores zone. It only shows the good work they have been doing," he said, emphasizing his desire for a peaceful atmosphere in the stadium. "I hope that both Vasco and Flamengo fans can enjoy themselves in harmony, as a family, and that, in the end, what matters is the football," he concluded.

With key players experiencing physical problems in recent weeks, the team that will take the field in the derby will be modified. The Flamengo coach lamented these absences, speaking about how much he will miss a series of matches using the team he considers ideal to start games for the club.

"With the dynamics of football, unfortunately we've had setbacks due to injuries and Cuéllar's suspension for accumulating yellow cards. Before, we couldn't integrate the team because some players weren't registered for the Copa Sudamericana; now that they can play, we'll lose players due to injuries like Réver, Guerrero, and Berrío. It's very difficult because of everything their careers represent. But that will create opportunities for the other players who are working hard," he stated.

Rueda also indicated that there are unlikely to be any surprises in the lineup for Saturday's match. However, the tight schedule has been the subject of complaints from the coach, with two crucial matches for Flamengo's season to be played in a short space of time.

There's no mystery. In the last game, against Fluminense, Paquetá and Rhodolfo played. We'll be playing a game that's outside the rules, because there's a rule in Brazilian football that says you can't play before 66 hours have passed since your last game, and we'll be playing before 65 hours of recovery. There are players who are in the recovery process from a physiological point of view, considering all the biochemical aspects of exertion. I hope we make a good decision, but it will be a lineup similar to the one against Fluminense. 

Paolo is still in the medical department, but he wants to play. He wants to test his level and also be in good shape for his national team's qualifying matches. After overcoming the injury, there will be a transition phase, which he was doing last week to try and play against Fluminense. We can't rush him, because we don't want to lose him, firstly to ourselves, and then to the Peruvian national team.

It's a situation that I believe will happen many times, but this time with great emphasis because of the time that coach Zé Ricardo spent at Flamengo. He has knowledge about the privacy and characteristics of the players, but it's a two-way street for the players he helped train, promoted, and who came to Flamengo. It happens in both directions.

There is no priority. It's a situation where there are eight games left in the Brazilian Championship versus five in the Copa Sudamericana. They are very similar. We are approaching both competitions with the same motivation. We know that both have extremely high difficulty components. We will approach them with great professionalism and intensity, working hard to achieve our goals.

I believe it all comes down to the timing. Everyone wants to play, but there are the scientific factors of football. They are important and we take them as a reference, but there are special players who outweigh the logical components. Sometimes risks are taken for the good of the team. These are situations we will analyze today and tomorrow to make the best decision.