With respect and even reverence, Fluminense players have been treating Manchester City, their opponent in the Club World Cup final. However, they do not intend to position themselves as inferior on the field in Friday's decisive match (22) at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Although the players and coach Fernando Diniz consistently refer to the opponent as the "best team in the world," the idea is not to replicate the usual strategy of teams facing the European representative in the tournament final.

After all, it wasn't with defensive methods that the tricolor team reached the game. "We will do what we do best. We won't deviate from our characteristics. We have prepared a lot. We will seek to do our best with humility, intelligence, and courage to do what we usually do. Our style of play will be maintained," said Diniz. This style is based on ball possession, with constant player proximity. In the 2-0 victory over Egypt's Al Ahly in the semifinals, the Laranjeiras team had 55% possession, compared to the opponent's 33%—the ball was contested for the rest of the match, with opportunities for both sides.

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