BRAZIL CUP: CHECK OUT WHICH TEAMS PLAY THE Round of 16

This Wednesday (20), Flamengo is ready to face Internacional again, now for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, at the Beira-Rio Stadium. After winning the first leg 1-0, at the Maracanã, and beating the opponent again last Sunday (17), 3-1, for the Brazilian Championship, the Mais Querido arrives packed and with morale for the decisive confrontation.

The Rio de Janeiro team, currently the sole leader of the Brasileirão, is targeting the continental tournament in search of a place in the quarterfinals. With the advantage of a draw, the goal is to continue its quest for a fourth Libertadores title. In the group stage, the club finished second in Group C, totaling 11 points, the same as leaders LDU, with four wins, two draws, and only one loss.

FLAMENGO DEFINED

With Erick Pulgar out injured, the coach is counting on Arrascaeta , Bruno Henrique, and midfield reinforcements to maintain the team's consistency against Internacional. The red-and-black lineup has already been confirmed for the match at Beira-Rio. The coach will field the following formation: Agustín Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Alex Sandro; Saúl, Jorginho, and Arrascaeta; Gonzalo Plata, Samuel Lino, and Bruno Henrique.

URUGUAYAN ARBITRATION

Experienced in decisive CONMEBOL matches, Esteban Ostojich will be the referee for the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 clash. CONMEBOL has appointed Uruguayan Esteban Ostojich as the referee for the match. With a history of decisive matches in the continental competition, the referee once again takes charge of a game of great importance.

RETROSPECT BETWEEN THE TEAMS

Flamengo has the advantage in overall head-to-head record and remains undefeated against Colorado in Copa Libertadores matches. With their recent Brasileirão triumph, Flamengo has now leveled the playing field and now has 40 wins to Internacional's 39, with 34 draws in 113 meetings. In the Copa Libertadores, there are five clashes: two group stage matches in 1993, two quarterfinals in 2019, and one in the round of 16 in 2025.

Santos has decided to end negotiations to hire Jorge Sampaoli as its new coach . Despite being the favorite to replace Cléber Xavier, who was fired after the 6-0 thrashing by Vasco, Santos failed to meet the Argentine's demands.

The main obstacle was the list of reinforcements requested by the coach, which even included a starter from Sevilla, Spain. The board argued that current financial conditions would not allow for such a large investment , making the deal unfeasible.

SAMPAOLI'S DEMANDS

In addition to seeking high-profile signings, Sampaoli reportedly also requested the release of youngsters Robinho Jr. and Gabriel Bontempo, recently integrated into the squad and well-regarded by fans. The coach's stance widened the gap between his ideas and the board's planning.

Negotiations made progress on salary points and even on the appointment of reinforcements , but no consensus was reached. The Argentine coach, who had a turbulent time with the Mais Querido in 2023, ended up being discarded by the Santos leadership.

SAMPAOLI HAD A PASSAGE AT FLAMENGO

While in charge of Flamengo in 2023, Sampaoli finished runner-up in the Copa do Brasil, but suffered significant burnout after an early elimination from the Copa Libertadores against Paraguayan club Olimpia. Recent history also weighed on internal assessments.

Flamengo returns to the field this Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium, in Porto Alegre. The duel is valid for the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. In the first leg, played at Maracanã, Rubro-Negro won 1-0 with a goal from Bruno Henrique and now only needs a draw to advance to the quarterfinals.

Fans will be able to watch the decisive match between Internacional and Flamengo live on broadcast, cable, and streaming TV. The game will be covered on three platforms. Rede Globo will broadcast the match on broadcast TV and Globoplay. ESPN subscribers will be able to watch on cable. Disney+ will also broadcast the match via exclusive streaming service.

LIVE FLAMENGO X INTERNACIONAL

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Coach Roger Machado should keep his base in Colorado, while Filipe Luís has Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique in the starting lineup. Internacional should go to the field with: Rochet; Aguirre, Vitão, Juninho and Bernabei; Thiago Maia, Alan Rodríguez, Tabata, Alan Patrick and Wesley; Ricardo Mathias.

Flamengo 's likely lineup should have changes in midfield: Agustín Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Allan, Jorginho and Arrascaeta; Gonzalo Plata, Samuel Lino and Bruno Henrique.