At the end of Thursday's training session, coach Ney Franco confirmed that the changes he's been testing with the team are aimed at improving the team's defensive performance. However, the coach warned that he wants to see the team more efficient in marking, but without losing quality in passing the ball.

On Thursday afternoon, in a training session at Gávea, Ney Franco returned to the three-man formation, bringing Thiago into defense. In midfield, Claiton and Léo Medeiros were the defensive midfielders.

"It was a tested option, and we'll decide on Friday. With Léo Medeiros, we'd have good defense protection on the left side and, at the same time, a player with the quality to play out wide. At the same time, with Claiton on the right, we'd be able to combine marking and the ability to get into attack for shots from outside the box," explained Ney Franco.

He sees no reason to worry about the change in game system.

"We've had the week to work, and training has been high-quality. We have a core team that has been maintained, and changes are being made to improve. The game will tell if we made the right choice."