The pain in his right thigh that forced Ronaldo Angelim out of tomorrow's match against Cruzeiro at Maracanã gave Thiago Sales the chance to make his Brazilian Championship debut. With six appearances and four goals scored this year, the defender isn't shy about the responsibility of playing against Cruzeiro, at a time when Flamengo has gone five matches without a win in the competition.

"That's football. Sometimes a player doesn't play for a while, but you have to be prepared because opportunities come when you least expect them. This is my chance to show I can be useful, and I've already talked to Fábio Luciano about overcoming the chemistry issues. Everything will work out," says 21-year-old Thiago.

The defender's reputation for scoring goals in important matches doesn't fool him. His main concern, according to Thiago himself, is preventing Flamengo from conceding.

"I scored a few goals at the beginning of the year, but I know I have to focus on helping the defense first. Cruzeiro is a strong team, which will certainly demand a lot of attention from us. If I can attack, I can think about making my mark," he said.

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