Filipe Luís defines Flamengo's starting lineup for the clash against Internacional this Saturday

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.

Full-back Jorge, the new signing for Remo under executive director Marcos Braz , is experiencing a comeback in football. Discovered by Flamengo, he achieved national and international prominence, playing for clubs such as Palmeiras, Santos, Fluminense, and even in Europe , playing for Monaco, Porto, and Basel.

In France, with Monaco, Jorge won a French Championship title. Returning to Brazil in 2023, he signed with Fluminense, but suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee , which sidelined him for a long period. He later played for CRB, but played few games, with his last official match taking place on September 15, 2024.

At the press conference held last week, Jorge stated that he was physically recovered and available to coach António Oliveira: “ I am feeling very well physically , clinically too, that is the most important thing, after a very serious injury that I had at Fluminense… Today I feel good.”

PERIOD OF REFLECTION

Jorge, ex-Flamengo, reveals the reason for his career break: "I wanted to breathe a little"

Jorge revealed that he chose to take some time away from football to reflect and distance himself from stressful environments: “ When I arrived in Rio, after this contract I had at CRB , I decided that I wanted to breathe a little, get away from some environments through football, because I really went through a lot of things that only God knows.”

EXPERIENCE AND PASSAGE THROUGH THE NATIONAL TEAM

With extensive national and international experience, Jorge was also called up to the Brazilian national team in 2017 , playing a friendly against Colombia at Botafogo's Nilton Santos Stadium. The full-back arrives at Remo determined to regain his rhythm and contribute to the team.

Juventude could not resist the leader of the Brasileirão and was beaten 2-0 by Flamengo , last Sunday (14), at Alfredo Jaconi. After the match, coach Thiago Carpini highlighted the difference in level between the teams and praised the performance of Rubro-Negro .

Thiago Carpini after Flamengo's victory over Juventude: "The disparity is huge"

"Today we faced a Flamengo team that needs no comment. The disparity is huge, a team accustomed to shooting a lot and being imposing. We managed to limit their shots a bit, which shows that some of the combinations worked well ," said Carpini.

CARPINI JUSTIFIES CHOICES

The coach also explained why he chose Nenê and Alan Ruschel as starters. According to him, the idea was to prioritize possession and exploit set pieces , but the plan didn't pan out, largely due to Flamengo 's own style of play.

"It was more of a coincidence than a strategy, playing at home. Nenê gives us support and rhythm, as well as the set pieces. Alan played well, as did Hermes . We have a group, and we'll choose the best options based on our daily routine," added the Juventude coach.

SITUATION IN THE TABLE

With the victory, Flamengo reached 50 points and maintained its four-point lead over Palmeiras at the top . Juventude remains in 18th place with 21 points, within the relegation zone. In the next round, Flamengo faces Vasco, while Juventude visits Mirassol in São Paulo.