The Brazilian Flamengo starts as a great favorite against the Argentine Vélez Sarsfield in the semifinal duel of the Copa Libertadores which will have its first chapter on Wednesday at the ‘Fortín’ in Buenos Aires.
The ‘Mengao’, champion on two occasions (1981 and 2019) and finalist last season, returns to decisive instances with the desire to exact revenge on Palmeiras, the reigning champion who embittered him in the final last year and who will face Athletico Paranaense in the other semifinal.
Vélez ruins the Brazilian full in the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores, contest with four champions of that country in the last five seasons, with the Argentine River Plate (2018) as the only exception to the ‘verdeamarelo’ monopoly.
In the quarterfinals, Flamengo resolved their key against Corinthians with two wins (2-0 and 1-0), while Vélez also won a duel of compatriots, in his case against Talleres de Córdoba (3-2 and 1-0).
Flamengo’s favoritism is sustained by the big names on their squad and also in his good moment as escort of Palmeiras in the Brasileirao.
Experienced defenders David Luiz and Filipe Luis, midfielders Everton Ribeiro and Giorgian de Arrascaeta and striker Gabriel Barbosa (Gabigol) are the backbone of a top-level team that can even afford to leave Chilean star Arturo Vidal on the bench.
The Argentine team, on the other hand, is penultimate in the local championship among 28with just one win in 16 matches, in the run-up to a duel in which the bets have the rubronegro as the vast favorite.
However, Vélez, who had not won in his first four games in this Cup (two draws and two losses) and then entered with just enough in the round of 16, He had the luxury of eliminating another of the great contenders for the crown like his compatriot River and now he dreams of giving a new blow.
– A confident ‘chieftain’ –
“History has shown enough that sometimes the team that comes in with the fewest chances ends up winning a series. We know the type of rival we face, but also our strengths,” warned the ‘Cacique’ Alexander Medina, coach of Vélez.
The Uruguayan technical director was confident in being able to give battle to the ‘Mengao’.
“What is coming generates a lot of hope for us. It is a very important dream that we have. We are convinced that we can live up to the series. We already analyzed the rival and we trained thinking about this first match,” he added.
Although they met in the group stage of the Libertadores-2021, with a victory from Rio de Janeiro in Buenos Aires and draw in Rio, Vélez and Flamengo share a common shame as protagonists of a tremendous pitched battle in 1995 in Uberlandia, in the extinct South American Super Cup.
Every time they face each other, it is inevitable to evoke a punch from the Argentine defender Flavio Zandoná the Brazilian Edmundo, and the subsequent brawl that involved the players and coaching staff.
On the side of Vélez, Medina ruled out the presence of the defender of the Uruguayan team Diego Godín commenting that “he needs a little more time to recover” due to muscle discomfort and that he will hardly be available for next week’s rematch in Rio de Janeiro.
Another forced change will be the loss of Máximo Perroneone of the midfield figures who suffered a pneumothorax and who will be replaced by Santiago Cáseres.
Flamengo traveled to Argentina on Monday with the inclusion of central defender David Luiz, who had missed the last few games due to hepatitis, but will be without veteran striker Marinho.
The match will be played at the José Amalfitani stadium this Wednesday from 9:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. Bolivian time), with arbitration by the Colombian Wilmar Roldán.
The revenge will be played on September 7 in Rio de Janeiro.
These are the possible lineups:
Velez: Lucas Hoyos – Leonardo Jara, Matías de los Santos, Valentín Gómez and Francisco Ortega – Santiago Cáseres and Nicolás Garayalde – Luca Orellano, Walter Bou and Lucas Janson – Lucas Pratto. DT: Alexander Medina.
flamingo: Santos – Rodinei, David Luiz, Léo Pereira and Filipe Luís – Arturo Vidal or Thiago Maia, Joao Gomes, Everton Ribeiro and Giorgian de Arrascaeta – Gabriel Barbosa ‘Gabigol’ and Pedro. DT: Dorival Junior.
