Soccer
Flamengo ends preparations for the Libertadores final against Estudiantes
24 Set 2025 | 19:46
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Soccer
24 Set 2025 | 22:00 |
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Flamengo will decide this Thursday (25) who will be in the Libertadores semifinals , and if they advance, they could meet an old acquaintance: Matías Zaracho. The Argentine midfielder, currently at Racing, helped the team eliminate Vélez Sarsfield and is already planning a possible duel against Mais Querido. The player has a personal reason to root for the red-black team to qualify: the search for revenge .
Zaracho, ex-Atlético-MG, on the Libertadores: "I hope to have a rematch against Flamengo"
In 2024, while still at Atlético-MG, Zaracho finished runner-up in the Copa do Brasil. In the final, played at Arena MRV , Flamengo spoiled the black and white party and won the stadium's first trophy, a result the Argentine will never forget.
" Today, because of what happened against Atlético-MG, I hope to get revenge against Flamengo ," the midfielder said in an interview with ESPN. He also emphasized that he wouldn't need to give his Racing teammates much insight into their rivals, as everyone is familiar with the Rio de Janeiro team's attacking style.
Zaracho's rivalry with Flamengo goes back a long way, but the Argentine has had a dismal record . In nine matches, the midfielder has scored just one goal, with six losses and three wins. Check out Zaracho's record against the "Mais Querido" (The Most Beloved):
Zaracho's only goal came in the first match of 2020, when Atlético thrashed Flamengo 4-0 in the Brasileirão. Since then, the Argentine has had a poor record against the Rio de Janeiro club .
The decisive quarterfinal match will be narrated by Rogério Vaughan and will have live field coverage from Argentina, as well as broadcast on Disney+.
24 Set 2025 | 21:28 |
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Flamengo takes the field this Thursday (25), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , to face Estudiantes at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, in La Plata, for the second leg of the quarterfinals of the Conmebol Libertadores. The game, decisive for qualification to the semifinals, will be broadcast by ESPN, with the option of streaming on Disney+.
The broadcast team will feature commentary from Rogério Vaughan, who has been the official voice of Flamengo 's main matches in this edition of the Libertadores. Commentary will be provided by Paulo Calçade and Zinho . Lily Nascimento and Pedro Henrique Torres will be responsible for live field coverage from Argentina, providing information before, during, and after the match.
This same team was at Maracanã in the first leg, when Flamengo won 2-1 and gained the upper hand in the duel. With this result, Flamengo can draw away from home to secure a spot in the semifinals.
The red-black squad finished preparing for the duel this Wednesday (24), at the Defensa y Justicia CT, close to the hotel where the delegation is staying. After the Libertadores commitment, Flamengo will head to São Paulo , where it will remain until the game against Corinthians , on Sunday (28).
With a 2-1 victory at Maracanã, Flamengo needs only a draw to advance to the semifinals. If Estudiantes wins by one goal, the match will be decided on penalties. Their opponent in the next round will be Racing.
The player lost his place with coach Filipe Luís after failing to perform as expected at the start of the season and has not played for a quarter.
24 Set 2025 | 21:00 |
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This Wednesday (24), Michael reaches the three-month mark without entering the field for Flamengo . The striker's last match was in the 1-1 draw against LAFC, in the Club World Cup, when he played for just 32 minutes in the second half.
His absence from the starting lineup is even longer. The number 30 hasn't started a match since May 28, in the Libertadores group stage victory over Deportivo Táchira . This season, he hasn't completed a full game for the Rubro-Negro.
After the Club World Cup, Michael was on the bench against Bayern Munich and São Paulo, but then suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for several rounds . Even after recovering, he remained unavailable, being left out of several squad lists.
He reappeared on the bench against Grêmio, Juventude and Estudiantes, but did not enter the field. Against Vasco, in the Brasileirão, he was not even included . On Tuesday (23), he was again out due to new pain in his ankle and did not travel to Argentina.
The main reason for Michael's reduced starting position was the signing of Samuel Lino, a key reinforcement for the left wing, a position considered lacking by the board and coach Filipe Luís . With the arrival of the number 16, Michael became the fourth option in the position, also behind Everton Cebolinha and the young Wallace Yan.
In May, the 'ge' portal revealed that Michael expressed interest in being traded in 2025. Despite this, the board preferred to keep him and promised to be open to a future offer . Michael's contract with Flamengo runs until December 2028. In 2025, he played 26 games, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
In July, Flamengo received an offer from Al-Ula of Saudi Arabia: a one-year loan for $2.5 million (R$14 million), with an option to buy for $4 million (R$22.5 million). However, the model didn't please either the player or the club , and the deal fell through.
Rubro-negro ends preparation on Argentine soil with Italian-Brazilian and Juninho as new additions and can advance to the semifinals even with a draw
24 Set 2025 | 20:45 |
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Flamengo finalized this Wednesday (24) the last adjustments for the decisive clash against Estudiantes , valid for the return of the quarterfinals of the Conmebol Libertadores. The match takes place this Thursday (25), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) , at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, in La Plata, Argentina.
Fans are eagerly awaiting Jorginho 's return. The midfielder returned to training with the squad on Tuesday and participated again on Wednesday, this time on Argentine soil. His presence in the starting lineup will be confirmed by coach Filipe Luís during the team's pre-match press conference. Another new development is Juninho's return to the squad.
Flamengo's likely lineup for the match is: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; Jorginho, Saúl and Arrascaeta; Plata, Pedro and Samuel Lino.
The team will have two confirmed absences. Erick Pulgar, recovering from a broken foot, is still undergoing physical therapy and is expected to return in October. Striker Michael, who is experiencing pain in his left ankle , was ruled out by the medical department and did not travel to Argentina.
With a 2-1 victory in the first leg at Maracanã, Flamengo can draw to advance to the Libertadores semifinals. A simple victory for Estudiantes will take the match to penalties. The winner of this match will face Racing in the next round . After the match in La Plata, the Flamengo delegation will head to São Paulo, where they will remain until the match against Corinthians on Sunday.
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