Humility is the watchword at Flamengo. The 2-0 victory against Grêmio in their opening match of the Primeira Liga Cup marked the fourth win for the red-and-black team in four games this season, totaling thirteen goals scored and only one conceded. In the press room of the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília, Zé Ricardo gave a post-match press conference.

During the conversation with journalists, the coach took stock of the beginning of 2017. Among other topics discussed, Zé celebrated the goal scored by Berrío in his first match wearing the Sacred Mantle and is already thinking about the team that will take the field against Botafogo next Sunday (12), in a match valid for the fourth round of the Taça Guanabara.

He has a very big star. He debuted with a victory, scoring a goal. Despite coming on around the 30th minute of the second half, we noticed a great deal of dedication. He's not yet in ideal form, and the team chemistry will come with time. For a debut, I believe it was a consistent performance.

I believe that, within the plan we had, we strengthened ourselves well. Logically, the team still needs time to gel, but one or two players already make a difference. We are a month away from our Libertadores debut and we have to use this time to get stronger. However, we must not forget the Carioca Championship, which is one of our objectives, as is the Primeira Liga.

We still don't have a finalized starting lineup, but we have an idea of ​​how we'll approach the match against Botafogo on Sunday. We need to consider the fatigue from these past few days so that all the players are available for as long as possible this season. Initially, we'll be going with our strongest possible team.

His quick adaptation caught my attention. Some players require a little more time, but he quickly integrated with the team, which also embraced him. His personality also impressed me, almost as if he arrived prepared to take on the position. It's a joy to have him in the squad. I hope his level rises even further with the arrival of Renê, who is also another great full-back.

I believe that to play for any big club, like Grêmio, the players need to have a higher level of quality, and that was shown today. They were a well-organized team, with a game plan featuring three fast players up front. They made it very difficult for us. Flamengo made sure to bring their best players because we understood that, in the preparation we did, the first games would be important. Now it's time to focus on the Carioca Championship and the Primeira Liga next week against América-MG.