Joel is not fooled by the team's good moment in the Brazilian Championship

The two consecutive victories in the Brazilian Championship—over Paraná and Vasco—have helped Flamengo climb the standings, but they haven't dissuaded coach Joel Santana from the conviction that the current situation still requires special care. Before this afternoon's recreational training session at Gávea, the coach gathered the players and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a serious approach in tomorrow's match against Grêmio at Maracanã. "I'm happy to see the team growing, but football doesn't fool me anymore. The game against Grêmio is crucial for us to see how far we can go in the competition. If we win, we'll come very close to mathematically escaping relegation. Then we'll be able to dream of something better later on. That's why we need to maintain seriousness. If we talk too much now, we could pay dearly later on," the coach explained. Joel hasn't yet decided who will replace Rômulo, who suffered a right knee injury. Jaílton and Renato Augusto are vying for the midfield spot. Rodrigo Arroz is another option for the red-black coach.\