Escaping the relegation zone and securing a spot in the 2011 Copa Sudamericana. This is Flamengo's objective in the final stretch of the Brazilian Championship, with three games remaining. The red-and-blacks face Guarani on Saturday (November 20.11th) at the Engenhão stadium, and hope to start this run, which is worth a whole year's work, on the right foot.

In a press conference held after Tuesday's training session (November 16.11th), coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo expressed confidence that everything will work out by the end of the season. He reminded everyone that Flamengo's fate is in its own hands and that the defeat in the last round didn't cause the team much harm.

"I had a four-point lead, now I only have three, I've burned through the cushion. If we win, we'll have a six-point advantage. The situation depends only on us. There's concern, but we don't have to root for other teams. It's not that thing where we need to win and hope for the other team to win," he analyzed.

Thinking not only about avoiding relegation but also about securing a spot in next year's Copa Sudamericana, Luxa is also making projections based on the opponents who are ahead of Flamengo in the standings.

"I try not to think only about the bad things. Flamengo is playing a decisive match just like those at the top. It's a different kind of decisive match, but the projection is the same. We have three games to get out of this mess. Flamengo has never been in the relegation zone," he concluded.

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