Win to continue dreaming and smiling
Flamengo faces Grêmio with an eye on a sequence of positive results in the Brazilian Championship
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - inTwo teams that have already decided the title of the Brazilian Championship face each other on Wednesday night (22.09) seeking to assert themselves in the 2010 edition of the competition. With 27 and 29 points, occupying 15th and 11th place, respectively, Flamengo and Grêmio duel at the Olympic Stadium, in Porto Alegre, at 22 pm, for three points that are worth distancing themselves from the danger zone and another positive result in search of a breakthrough in the fight for the top positions.
And it promises to be a great game, as expected for a Brazilian football classic like Grêmio and Flamengo. For midfielder Toró, regardless of each team's current form in the competition, this is an unpredictable match that will be very difficult for the red-and-blacks, especially since it's away from home.
"Regardless of the stage, games against teams like Grêmio are always tough. It's very difficult to play there, but we're going for the win. We know the pressure from their fans, we know that Grêmio also needs a positive result, but we really need this result," he said.
We don't even have to go back far to talk about the rivalry between Flamengo and Grêmio. In the final round of the 2009 Brasileirão, when Flamengo needed a win over Grêmio at Maracanã to win the title, the Rio Grande do Sul team didn't take its foot off the gas. Even though it wasn't in contention for anything else in the championship and knew it could help its rival Inter, it opened the scoring, fought until the end, and made Flamengo's victory even more valuable. One person who remembers this is David, who scored Flamengo's first goal in the 2-1 comeback.
"That game was truly unforgettable, and they demonstrated a characteristic that Grêmio has that is historic: that desire. Their team is good, they have quality, they are a direct opponent, and we need to be careful. Playing at the Olímpico is always difficult, their fans put a lot of pressure on us, but we go there thinking only of victory," he observed.
Total dedication - Still without a finalized starting lineup, coach Silas is expected to field David and Jean in defense, resting Ronaldo Angelim, with Correa replacing the suspended Willians in midfield, and keeping Rodrigo Alvim at left back, replacing the injured Juan. But regardless of who takes the field, the important thing, according to captain Leonardo Moura, is the spirit of each player.
"From now on, every game will be important. Every round is a final, they'll be tough games, and we know we need to get as many points as possible, especially in head-to-head matches like this one against Grêmio on Wednesday. They're an opponent who's two points ahead of us, it's a six-point game, where a win is very important," he concluded.
Flamengo's head-to-head clash with Grêmio is seen as a decisive match for the red-and-blacks. But coach Silas knows the task won't be easy and highlights the Tricolor's strengths.
\"Grêmio has a lot of individual quality. They have Jonas, who is in great form, Douglas, who is a great midfielder, and Vitor, who is a goalkeeper for the Brazilian national team and has been decisive. Furthermore, they have some young players moving up to the professional ranks who are great prospects. The team has been together for a year and already has a solid foundation. We will have a lot of respect for our opponent, but we will focus on progressing," analyzed coach Silas.
\TECHNICAL SHEET
GRÊMIO X FLAMENGO
Location: Olympic Stadium, in Porto Alegre (RS)
Date and Time: September 22, 2010, at 22 p.m.
Arbitration:Sandro Meira Ricci (DF/Asp. FIFA)
Auxiliaries: Enio Ferreira de Carvalho (DF) and Kleber Lucio Gil (SC).
Grêmio: Victor, Gabriel, Vilson, Rafael Marques and Fabio Santos; Ferdinando, Adilson, Souza and Douglas; Jonas and André Lima. Technical: Renato Gaucho.
Flamengo: Marcelo Lomba, Leonardo Moura, David, Ronaldo Angelim (Jean) and Rodrigo Alvim; Toró, Correa, Kleberson and Renato; Diogo and Deivid. Technical: Silas
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