On the afternoon of this Wednesday (12), coach Zé Ricardo met with the press after training at CT. On the eve of the classic against Fluminense, Zé spoke about the confrontation and analyzed the situation of some of the players in the squad.

Guerrero and Alex Muralha

Both arrived today from their international commitments. They are available. Alex worked on the field. Guerrero dedicated himself to recovery, having played two games in four days. I'll talk to him, see how he's doing, and gather information from CEP Fla to make the decision on whether to field him. We always want to preserve the athlete's integrity and health.

Back

Vaz and Réver arrived with the competition underway and clicked naturally. This is largely due to their quality and communication skills. They formed a great duo and have been doing important work for us. I also credit this to their intelligence; you can tell just by talking to them.

Final stretch of the Brazilian Championship

Regardless of our opponent, we're facing a tough streak. Whether it's a classic or not, our goal must be to win, to constantly strive for three points. Always with balance.

Classic

Because it's a derby, there are extra ingredients. Rivalry is natural. We try to prepare the team for the game's strategy. They understand we're in the final stretch, and every sacrifice counts. We have to be competitive throughout the match, and we hope our strategy outperforms theirs.

Fluminense

They're a very fast team, so we have to play as compactly as possible. We need to keep our players close together to prevent Fluminense's players from using their skills. It's the kind of game where the slightest mistake could lead to a loss, but our team is gaining confidence, showing that it knows what it wants in the competition. I believe it will be a good game. We have to focus mainly on our performance and improve our quality of play. By doing what we're training and executing well, I think we have the path to victory.

Team changes

The only surprise is that we won't be able to count on Vizeu, who was called up, but we have the returns of Damião, Alex (Muralha), and Paolo (Guerrero). These are the only changes. Our group has consistently demonstrated that the changes haven't made much of a difference; we strive to provide the same formation and the same level of pressure from everyone. 

*Collaborated under the supervision of Ricardo Taves