Pleased with his players' offensive performance in the first half—and their defensive performance in the second—coach Zé Ricardo analyzed Flamengo's victory in the first leg of the Campeonato Carioca final after the referee blew the final whistle, in a press conference at Maracanã. The coach commented on the fatigue of some players, spoke of the importance of Éverton's return, and assured that Flamengo will not play with the rules in hand: "It's not in Flamengo's DNA." 

"The game isn't decided. It's like a two-act play. We'll go into the second act next Sunday. An advantage is an advantage, but we're not going to rest on our laurels. It's not in Flamengo's DNA to play this way. Any result can happen, and all we can do is prepare. Congratulations to the Fluminense team, who also played a great game," he said.

What we have received is that Paolo had a cramp in his calf due to the effort he made and Rômulo had a sprained knee, but in principle we shouldn't have any serious problems.

We'll evaluate tomorrow to see who's 100% fit to start the match. Previously, it would have been just fatigue, and now we've also had Rômulo's knee issue. The sequence itself is exhausting; the last game against Atlético-PR, on a fast pitch, was very tiring. We held off on making substitutions, but it happened. We expect Universidad Católica on Wednesday coming off a local derby, in which they beat Universidad de Chile. We know a win could secure our qualification, but we also need a clear and defined strategy.

It's great to have Éverton back. He's an extremely dedicated player who can play in up to three positions. We knew his return would strengthen our corner kicks, and he even had the good fortune to score our goal. We'll get him back in good shape. I had doubts he'd last the full 90 minutes, but now we need to be 100% fit for Wednesday's game.

Anyone who works with Rafael on a daily basis knows he's very good. He fluctuates, of course, as we all do in our professions, and he's also had personal issues that have also interfered a bit. He's focused and a player who can always play at a high level. We have no doubt about the confidence he instills in us. Flamengo has other top-notch players, including Donatti himself, and this proves we have a balanced squad. Juan will be back soon, and we also have Léo Duarte, who I also consider a great player.

Don't worry, it was just fatigue (he asked to be substituted). Football today demands sacrifice, a high volume of play. Fluminense overloaded the midfielders on the flanks, and Berrío ended up playing alongside the full-back. He's an important player in his role and has suffered natural fatigue due to the role he plays.

I don't believe Universidad Católica will wait long (to attack us). They have a tendency to play up front. Playing against Fluminense is always difficult; they have teams with immense offensive power. Abel has really found the best fit for his players in a short period of time. It's difficult to make a prediction. Regarding Universidad Católica, we do have an obligation to win; we'll be playing at home, and that has made a big difference for us. Defensive balance may be the most important thing for us on Wednesday.

We have a team that's been improving. At certain points in the match, when you reach a good level, details make all the difference. And our team knew how to "suffer." Fluminense put on a lot of pressure at the end.

The game isn't decided, the challenge is there. It's like a two-act play. We'll move on to the second act next Sunday. Any advantage is an advantage, but we won't rest on our laurels. Playing this way isn't in Flamengo's DNA. Any result can happen, and all we can do is prepare. Congratulations to the Fluminense team, who also played a great game.

That was the downside of the game. As soon as I stepped onto the field, I saw the ball popping up with the first few passes. Hopefully, by Wednesday, I can improve the pitch so we can play a possession-based game, typical of Flamengo. 

The feeling is one of immense responsibility. Those who work in high-performance sports really don't have much time to relax; we're always fighting for the next game. The moments are so different that sometimes we just have to find balance. Balance is our watchword, especially at a club the size of Flamengo.

After yesterday's press conference, the first person I reached out to was Ederson. After the news broke, I went to talk to him. He's extremely professional and eager to play, as are we, but he understands perfectly. We're talking about an athlete who's been out for nine months and could struggle in such intense matches. The injury is healed, but he hasn't even made his debut yet. Imagine putting him in a game of such intensity and importance. We're trying to be as rational as possible so we can see him on the field soon.