Benzema comments on conversation with Vini Jr, ex-Flamengo, and rules out retirement

Flamengo and Estudiantes face each other this Thursday (17), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. Fans of both teams have sold out their tickets and promise a huge party in the stands , worthy of a decisive clash in the main club tournament in South America.

Flamengo is expected to break the attendance record in Brazil in 2025. The current record is held by the Rio de Janeiro club itself, which drew 69,447 fans in its draw with Grêmio in the Brazilian Championship . With high demand for tickets and the atmosphere of the final, the number is projected to be surpassed this Thursday.

MARACANÃ HAS THE LARGEST CAPACITY IN THE COUNTRY

Maracanã has a capacity of approximately 78,000 fans, making it the largest stadium in the country. However, due to mandatory separation between fans, not all seats are available . Even so, Flamengo usually reaches nearly 70,000 attendance when it reaches its record attendance, which is expected for this match.

Rubro-Negro reached the quarterfinals after eliminating Internacional , while Estudiantes advanced by defeating Cerro Porteño. The semifinal spot will be decided in the second leg in Argentina next week.

FLAMENGO LEADS RANKING

• 69,447 – Flamengo 1x1 Grêmio
• 69,393 – Flamengo 0x0 Fluminense
• 68,483 – Flamengo 1x0 Internacional
• 67,501 – Flamengo 4x0 Corinthians
• 67,359 – Flamengo 2x0 Sao Paulo

Pedro faced behavioral issues under Filipe Luís at Flamengo and, at one point, was even left off the roster. However, the striker regained his place in the squad and was once again decisive. David Luiz came to the defense of the number 9, praising his teammate and responding to criticism .

David Luiz on the controversy between Pedro and Filipe Luís at Flamengo: "Nobody trains for a week and then starts scoring a goal"

"Pedro is an incredible player and a wonderful person. A friend, a brother. Often, in football and in life, people like to label others. They did that with Rodinei, treating him as a character and not as a player. With Pedro, they say he doesn't like training. But that's not the case . No one trains for a week and then scores goals. He was already dedicated beforehand," the defender said in an interview with LANCE!.

RELATIONSHIP WITH FILIPE LUÍS

According to David Luiz, the relationship between Pedro and Filipe Luís improved after the incident became public . Since then, the striker has returned to Flamengo 's starting lineup and has been instrumental in scoring important goals.

" After this public issue with Filipe, face-to-face dialogue became easier . Pedro is pure, he speaks his mind, and this helps us understand how to support him. Suddenly, he's back to doing what he always did: scoring goals. He deserves it, because he works for it. If he didn't work, he wouldn't have the numbers he's putting up," he added.

AVAILABLE AGAINST STUDIANTS

Pedro trained normally during the week and is confirmed among Filipe Luís' options for the duel this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, against Estudiantes (ARG), for the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals.

Flamengo hosts Estudiantes this Thursday (19), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. For this decisive duel, tarot reader Luiz Filho, from the “Renascer das Cartas” channel on YouTube, indicated that Rubro-Negro enters the field as the favorite for the confrontation.

According to Luiz Filho, the team led by Filipe Luís will display "a lot of strength and boldness" on the field . The prediction suggests that Flamengo must act practically and objectively to achieve its objectives in the duel, while also maintaining calm and composure to control the action and dictate the pace of the game at Maracanã.

On the other hand, the tarot reader pointed out that Estudiantes could experience fluctuations throughout the match, which could compromise the Argentine team's performance. For Luiz Filho, this scenario increases Flamengo's chances of achieving a favorable score in the first leg , giving them an advantage in the decisive away clash.

PROBABLE FLAMENGO

After training last Wednesday (17), the tendency is for coach Filipe Luís to send onto the field a Flamengo with: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; De La Cruz (Allan), Saúl and Arrascaeta; Plata, Samuel Lino and Pedro.

PACKED MARACANÃ

The Red-Black Nation promises another great party. All tickets were sold in advance, guaranteeing the presence of over 69,000 fans. This should be Flamengo's largest crowd in this edition of the Libertadores. The expectation is to repeat the solid performance of the round of 16, when the team eliminated Internacional with two wins and qualified 3-0 on aggregate.