The Palmeiras-Flamengo is a super final of the Copa Libertadores between the last two champions (the Cariocas in 2019 and the São Paulo in 2020), in which they will decide who really is the hegemonic team on the continent. The winner will also join Sao Paulo as the second Brazilian club to reach the three-time championship in the tournament.
The two protagonists of the final in Montevideo, on Saturday November 27, have shared the main titles in recent seasons, which, logically, has created a rivalry that has now turned into mutual animosity, between torcedores, leaders and players. The fourth final of the tournament between Brazilian teams (it is the second in a row) has all the necessary ingredients worthy of a top quality match in which the style of play is even prioritized.
Palmeiras, who won the last final against Santos (1-0) in Maracaná, has the possibility of linking two titles, which had not happened for 20 years when Carlos Bianchi’s Boca Juniors achieved it (2000 and 2001) . In recent years, in the Palmarés del Verdao there is also the Brasileirao 2018 and the Copa do Brasil 2020. Ahead, the current Flamengo will have two-time champion of the Brasileirao (2019 and 2020), the Brazilian super champion (2019 and 2020) and the South American Recopa ( 2020).
TWO CONTRASTING STYLES
The semifinals have made explicit what the (antagonistic) philosophy they practice is. The Flamengo is, together with the eliminated At. Mineiro, one of the two most exuberant teams on the continent. With Renato Portaluppi on the bench he has recovered his total offensiveness, which he practiced in 2019 with the yearned for Jorge Jesus (now on the Benfica bench). The former Guild technician has once again squeezed all the benefits of the quartet that make up From Arrascaeta, Éverton Ribeiro, Brunho Henrique and Gabigol.
His superiority against Barcelona de Guayaquil, who stood in the semifinals as the giant killer of the competition, was manifest: he won by the same result, 2-0 in Maracana and 0-2 in the Monumental. And the most remarkable thing was that Bruno henrique, which incomprehensibly is not summoned by Tite, scored two doublets.
🇧🇷🔥 Another double of @Brunohenrique! The 2⃣ goals of @Flamengo that sealed their ticket to the final of CONMEBOL #Liberters 🔴⚫️#Eternal glory pic.twitter.com/Atjz7A6VeD
– CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) September 30, 2021
Palmerias, on the other hand, is the faithful reflection of the pragmatic and reactive football preached by the Portuguese Abel Ferreira, an advanced and uncomplexed disciple of Mourinho.. In the duels against At. Mineiro (to date it was the team of the year in Brazil and South America) had the merit of neutralizing a clearly offensive and creative opponent. He raised a minimum semifinals, playing with the calculator in hand, and classifying himself by the value of the goals in the opposite field: 0-0 at home, in a game in which Hulk he missed a penalty, and a 1-1 in the battle of Mineirao, with a goal from his star Dudu to pass the golden boy Gabriel Veron. And the Gaul said goodbye to the undefeated tournament.
FLAMENGO DOMINATES DIRECT DUELS
At a stage in which the two continental finalists have emerged as the two most powerful teams in South America, the abysmal difference in direct confrontations is striking. The Rubronegros have not lost a game to Verdao since 2017: it is a nine-game streak with five wins and four draws.
The Cariocas have been able to maintain their invincibility in these crashes, which have already become a classic for three seasons: 2018, 2019 and 2020.
And this year, in the second edition of the Brazilian Super Cup, even the clash decided a title: Flamengo finished victorious after a penalty shoot-out in which 18 shots were reached between the two teams. And in the Brasileirao, the cariocas have prevailed in the two duels: 1-0 in Maracaná and 1-3 in the Allianz Parque.
The face to face at the Centenario stadium, in Montevideo, will undoubtedly be the most transcendent that ever between the two and in which both protagonists, aware of what they are at stake, will not want to cling to any precedent.