What happens in a derby always takes on major proportions. Win or lose, duels between rival teams become the talk of the town for days, weeks, months, and perhaps even years. Flamengo, in its first derby of the year, experienced an epic match: they beat Fluminense 5-3, a man down and having lost the first half 3-1. Expectations are high for the duel against Botafogo, who also played a historic match against Vasco in the first round. But for the black and whites, the memories are not so fond: they were thrashed 6-0.

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And when it comes to Flamengo, it's worth remembering that the results achieved on the field move not only Rio fans, but fans across Brazil. This is what defender Álvaro emphasizes. The Flamengo sheriff believes that, despite being a semifinal of the first round of the Campeonato Carioca, the duel against the black and whites next Wednesday at Maracanã will be a clash with national attention.

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"It's a great classic, and it will certainly be a state semifinal, but also a national one. It's time for us to show the quality of our team and play a great game to reach the final," said the player.

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Over the past three years, Flamengo and Botafogo have met many times in the Campeonato Carioca finals. The two teams have won a Guanabara Cup, a Rio Cup, and three State Championship finals. Flamengo prevailed in each. But for coach Andrade, that won't matter in Wednesday's semifinal.

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"We're not favorites because of past games. They're different teams, different moments... There's no comparison. The important thing is that Joel knows Flamengo well, we know Botafogo well, and we've already played them in three consecutive finals in the Carioca. So, it's important to see what we can do differently to surprise them," he noted.

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In the history of the clash, since Flamengo's 1-0 defeat in the 1913 Campeonato Carioca, there have been 340 matches between Flamengo and Botafogo. And the Gávea team has a vast advantage: 123 wins, 110 draws, and only 107 losses, with 523 goals scored and only 485 conceded. To learn more about this rivalry-filled duel, check out the article about it. Botafogo on Flapédia, Flamengo's official virtual encyclopedia.