Maresca mentioned on Monday that he is aware of the high quality of Brazilian players, but he also emphasized the importance of energy and teamwork. "Yes, there are two things that are very clear to me," he said. "Firstly, the quality of Brazilian players is likely the best in the world. At the same time, the energy that we have at this moment, compared to other teams, is also a significant factor."

When asked if Chelsea is considered the favorite to win, Maresca replied, "No, I don't think that Chelsea is the favorite. I believe that at this point, there is no clear favorite. Every team that has made it to this stage deserves to be here, and they will need to give their best to try and win and reach the final."

Maresca also talked about the importance of possession in the game. "Since the first day that we worked together, we have tried to gain possession of the ball," he said. "I think that possession is even more crucial in this competition, especially when playing every other day, not only to attack but also to recover with the ball. We will try to do the same tomorrow."

Chelsea's Thiago Silva, a former Champions League winner, will be leading the defense of Fluminense. Maresca stated, "We don't prepare our games against individual players. We prepare our games against teams. So, tomorrow, we will be preparing against Fluminense, not against Thiago Silva. We respect him, but we need to focus on the team as a whole."

Regarding the heat in New Jersey, Maresca said, "We will try to adapt to the conditions in the best way possible. We know that the heat in Brazil is even hotter, but we will do our best to adjust. Fluminense has a good coach and quality players, and at this stage of the tournament, every game will be challenging."