Last night’s 2-0 win over Gremio helped Flamengo move to within one point of league leaders Corinthians, although they have played two games more. The victory also helped them maintain their unbeaten start to the season, which has now stretched to 13 games, and sees them as the only side in the division yet to lose a game so far.
These results, coupled with the improving form of Ronaldinho, have given Luxemburgo the confidence to assert that Flamengo will be among the challengers at the top of the table this season.
“You have to stay motivated, because there are still seven months of the competition remaining,” he said. “Every game, you have to maintain an average points total that will keep you in the qualification places for the Copa Libertadores.
“If we can maintain our current points average until the end of the season, we will be title candidates,” he continued. “But the Brazilian league is very difficult. You can lose points with a draw at home.
“We saw this when we drew at home to Ceara; when Sao Paulo drew at home to Atletico Goianiense and when Vasco da Gama drew at home to Bahia. This makes the league unpredictable and difficult to play in.
“But our football is good, and we are coming together and getting stronger on the field. All our players know our system and what their role is in the team,” he concluded.
