AFTER DISENCHANTMENT WITH THE SACRED MANtle, DE LA CRUZ IS ELECTED "FANS' CRACK" IN FLAMENGO'S VOTE

Estudiantes announced this Monday (15) two confirmed absences for the match against Flamengo , valid for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. The match is scheduled for this Thursday, at Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro . The return game will be held seven days later, in Argentina.

The first player to be out is 33-year-old defender González Pírez , a River Plate youth product. The defender suffered a Grade 3 hamstring injury in his right thigh and is expected to be out for at least a month , ruling him out of both matches against the red-and-blacks.

SANTIAGO NÚÑEZ WILL BE THE SUBSTITUTE

Without further ado, coach Eduardo Domínguez confirmed that Santiago Núñez will replace González Pírez . The defender had already replaced his injured teammate in the match against River Plate and scored Estudiantes' only goal in the 2-1 defeat.

The club expects to maintain defensive consistency even without its regular starter . The Argentine coach has emphasized in previous interviews the importance of maintaining tactical discipline to balance the match against Flamengo at Maracanã.

EDWUIN CETRÉ ALSO MISSES

In attack, 27-year-old Colombian Edwuin Cetré is also out of the match in Rio de Janeiro. The forward suffered a grade 1 muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg . He is expected to be available for the return leg on September 25th.

This Thursday (18), Flamengo begins the dispute of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores against Estudiantes, at Maracanã. On the eve of the confrontation, the president and idol of the Argentine club, Juan Sebastián Verón, spoke about the expectations for the duel against Rubro-Negro.

DIFFERENT LEVELS

During an institutional event in La Plata, Verón highlighted the financial difference between the teams , with Mengão being the team with the highest market value among the tournament participants, but recalled Estudiantes ' tradition of overcoming opponents considered favorites.

Estudiantes' Verón on Flamengo in the Libertadores: "Yes, the challenge is difficult"

"Obviously, we know the power of our opponent, but we also know that we've been through similar situations against important teams, and that the club, given its history, has risen to the occasion. We've always kept this in mind: yes, the challenge is difficult, but we can excel and represent the club well , regardless of the result. We've experienced this before, and we continue to do so," the director stated.

VERON X FLAMENGO

In the early 1990s, Verón began his career at Estudiantes and played in the 2-0 victory over Flamengo in the 1994 Supercopa Libertadores . In addition to his former club, the former midfielder also shone for major teams such as Boca Juniors, Lazio, Manchester United and Inter Milan . In 2007, he returned to Estudiantes and was a key player in their 2009 Copa Libertadores victory.

Verón retired in 2014, but returned to the field three years later as a player-president . His last official match came in 2017, against Botafogo, also in the Copa Libertadores, during the group stage.

Flamengo beat Juventude this Sunday (14), 2-0, in a game valid for the 23rd round of the Brasileirão. Defender Danilo started due to Léo Ortiz's suspension and, after the match, highlighted the historical importance of the triumph at Alfredo Jaconi, the stadium where he watched Rubro-Negro as a child .

Danilo on Flamengo's victory against Juventude away: "There was this historical context and we really wanted to change that"

"As a fan, I saw Flamengo suffer a lot here when I was a kid. This was discussed before the game because of this historical context, and we really wanted to change that. And, of course, also for the three points, for our continued progress in the championship. We understand that every game is of the utmost importance . There's no next game, there's this one we're living through," he stated.

The defender then emphasized the importance of the team's mindset: "We've been doing this, working game by game, without thinking too much about the future. I think this is the strategy for achieving great things at the end of the season . Now we're entering a phase where points matter even more, in the last three months. We have to continue this path, giving maximum importance to each moment," he concluded.

FLAMENGO BREAKS 28-YEAR TABOO

With the result in Caxias do Sul, Flamengo beat Juventude again away from home after almost 28 years . The last victory had been on October 1, 1997, 1-0, with an own goal by Rodrigo Costa. Since then, Flamengo has accumulated six draws and seven losses at the Rio Grande do Sul stadium.

NEXT DECISIVE GAME

Now, Flamengo turns its focus to the Copa Libertadores. The next match will be this Thursday (18), against Estudiantes (ARG), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , at Maracanã, for the first leg of the quarterfinals. Mengão wants to get a victory with a large score to be more comfortable in the return leg.