After the important victory this Wednesday (22), over Santa Cruz, at Arruda, coach Zé Ricardo spoke to the press and analyzed the result. 

It was a very difficult match; we knew it would be a battle for space. We hadn't won here in a long time. It wasn't one of our best matches, but we overcame it and competed well on defense. Today, we opted to have quality players in the middle to create space for Cirino and Vizeu. Unfortunately, we didn't get that second ball. However, the defensive strategy worked. We have to congratulate the players.

Their team is well-trained, but the merit in today's game was our defense. After three or four games, we've had consistency in defense. Grafite is a great player, he positions himself very well, he's intelligent, and he knows how to play both outside and inside the box. We didn't play so well today, but we won. The important thing was our dedication and the three points. I'm very happy. We won't be able to play well in every match. 

We've had a lower injury rate. The center of excellence monitors us with extensive information. We knew it would be a busy game, but that's where overcoming comes in. We'll analyze and see who will be fit for the next match. We'll see who will be 100%.

Alex is on a very good run. He's playing solid games and needs continuity. The only guarantee is that we have great goalkeepers at Flamengo. 

If he's healthy, he'll play. Paolo is an experienced player and contributes well to the attack. Vizeu is a youngster, and I'm counting on him; he's helped us a lot, but I hope to have Guerrero for the Clásico.

I hope to win the derby and stay close to the top four. I'm expecting a great game. Fluminense is an excellent team, coached by Levir. It's a huge thrill to coach Flamengo.