Emotional from start to finish. This is how the Mais Querido qualified for the Copa do Brasil final. Their spot was secured with a 1-0 victory over Botafogo, following a 0-0 draw at the Engenhão stadium in the first leg of the semifinal. After the celebrations on the pitch and the locker room chat, the club's coach, Reinaldo Rueda, held a press conference in the Maracanã press room.

Some members of the squad were suffering from physical problems, including Felipe Vizeu, Éverton, Renê, and Paolo Guerrero, who was recovering from a hamstring injury in his right thigh. Even though he had recovered, the center forward participated in few activities with the rest of the group before the match. However, the star's willpower meant he not only participated in the derby, but also played the full 90 minutes.

"We had two or three players in the medical department, with the most delicate case being Paolo Guerrero. First of all, I'd like to congratulate the Medical Department and everyone who made Paolo's recovery possible, as well as his professionalism. He only had one training session and the evaluation. He wanted to play, and we decided to start the match with him. I thought he would only play for a short time, but he held up very well. It was good behavior, considering he hadn't trained for a long time," Rueda praised.

Left-back Renê's injury, sustained against Atlético-GO, forced Pará to play his role for the remainder of the match. In the decisive match, the Colombian coach opted to field the full-back in that position again. "Pará worked in that role for a few minutes in the match against Atlético-GO. He's a very dedicated player and has adapted very well. He's taken on the responsibility and performed very well defensively and offensively. He did an excellent job," he praised.

A contagious atmosphere set the tone for the semifinal. The celebrations the nation held in the stands made all the difference in the match, and its importance was emphasized by the Flamengo commander. "It's fantastic, extraordinary. It's something unique because of the energy we feel, which infects the team. This is a huge asset for Flamengo. Its fans, who make the team play with passion and heart. It's the commitment we have to them," extolled 'El Catedrático'.

I think that's the commitment: that the group of players continues to improve. We had a very intense week, with the matches against Botafogo and Atlético-GO in the Brasileirão. It's a very professional group, which responded with great receptiveness and commitment. Now we need to fully assimilate this result, knowing that we haven't won anything and that we have two tough games left against an opponent who's also having a good competition so far.

Tournaments are important. Everything will depend on the teams' performance in the Brasileirão, those playing in the Libertadores or the Sudamericana. It will be each coach's decision based on the circumstances. Giving Brazilian players this opportunity to continue honing their talent in competitions is crucial. Players are being renewed and projected.

Flamengo's infrastructure, including all administrative and logistical aspects, has done a great job with the Intelligence Center, providing a wealth of accurate and timely information. This is more than we were expecting from Orlando Berrío, who worked with us at Atlético Nacional, and Cuéllar, who is also Colombian. This work has been ongoing at Flamengo for many years and is now growing stronger to achieve the goals that the institution and its fans deserve.