With the preparation of Mais Querido concluded for the confrontation this Wednesday (29), against Volta Redonda, Zé Ricardo appeared at the Victorino Chermont Press Room, at CT George Helal, to give a press conference.

The coach praised the team's commitment when questioned about Flamengo's long unbeaten run on Brazilian soil, with their last defeat occurring last season against Internacional at the Beira-Rio stadium. Zé emphasized that without the dedication of each player, this impressive streak would not have been achieved, giving credit to the squad for their hard work every day.

"We are part of the process of planning all the fieldwork and also structuring our team, but the main people responsible are the athletes, who are always very involved and interested in growing. As we've been saying all the time, something that has even become our mantra, is that we are constantly seeking to improve our performances," the coach emphasized. "For that, several aspects are necessary. When we talk about a game model, it encompasses all of that and not just what happens on the field. Understanding ourselves as a team, as protagonists of the match. We are concerned with always raising our level. It's satisfying to see these numbers, but we don't dwell on them, because it's a consequence of the work done by the athletes," he explained.

The Flamengo coach also spoke about Ederson's return, who is already training with his teammates. Zé Ricardo said that the number 10 player is not in the squad for the match, but that the steps the player still needs to complete before his return are decreasing.

"With each passing day, that date gets closer. He's a player with immense talent, an intelligent player with a very high cognitive ability. This type of player is important in modern football. Physically, he trains a lot, so now it's about his full recovery clinically and gradually integrating him into the dynamics of training in a more collective way, because he's already a bit more adapted, and then into matches, so he can regain the necessary rhythm to return to the level we know," concluded the coach.