HISTORIC! FLAMENGO DE TITE HAS THE BEST DEFENSIVE SYSTEM IN THE LAST 10 YEARS

Flamengo will have an important reinforcement for the duel this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã. Defender Léo Ortiz returns to the starting lineup after serving an automatic suspension in the Brasileirão and is confirmed for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals against Estudiantes.

In addition to Léo Ortiz , other players are available again for Filipe Luís , including Varela and Bruno Henrique, who were rested against Juventude. Alex Sandro and Jorginho, on the other hand, remain doubtful and will have their fitness assessed shortly before the match.

HANGING ROD

Right-back Guillermo Varela, the team's starting right-back, is on the field with a yellow card. If he receives another warning, the Uruguayan will be out of the second leg, scheduled for September 25th at Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium in La Plata.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

To face Estudiantes, Flamengo must maintain the base of the team that has been playing: Rossi; Varela (Emerson Royal), Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas (Viña); Saúl, De La Cruz (Jorginho) and Arrascaeta; Plata, Pedro and Samuel Lino.

Eduardo Domínguez will have almost his entire squad available for the game later today. He's expected to field the following: Muslera; Román Gómez, Santiago Núñez, Facundo Rodríguez, and Santiago Arzamendia; Ascacíbar, Gabriel Neves, Amondarain, and Medina; Tiago Palacios and Guido Carrillo.

Flamengo takes to the field this Thursday (18) , at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Estudiantes at Maracanã for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. In addition to the weight of the confrontation, coach Filipe Luís needs to manage an extra concern: right-back Guillermo Varela is suspended and could become an important absence for the return leg , scheduled for September 25, at Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, in La Plata.

After resting some starters over the weekend, Filipe Luís will have reinforcements for the match. Varela, Bruno Henrique, and Léo Ortiz return after absences against Juventude , increasing the team's strength. Meanwhile, Alex Sandro and Jorginho are doubtful and will have their fitness assessed hours before the game.

STUDENTS ARRIVE WITHOUT STAFF

On the other side, Estudiantes will have confirmed absences. Coach Eduardo Domínguez will be without González Pirez and Edwuin Cetré, both in the medical department. Even so, 27 players traveled to Rio de Janeiro and completed their final training session at Fluminense's training center in the West Zone. The Argentine team reaches the quarterfinals after defeating Cerro Porteño 1-0 on aggregate.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

FLAMENGO (Coach: Filipe Luis): Rossi; Varela (Emerson Royal), Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas (Viña); Saul, De La Cruz (Jorginho) and Arrascaeta; Plata, Pedro and Samuel Lino.

ESTUDIATES (Coach: Eduardo Domínguez): Muslera; Román Gómez, Santiago Núñez, Facundo Rodríguez and Santiago Arzamendia; Ascacíbar, Gabriel Neves, Amondarain and Medina; Tiago Palacios and Guido Carrillo.

On Thursday night (September 18), Flamengo and Estudiantes face each other at Maracanã , in Rio de Janeiro, for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores 2025. The ball rolls at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), with exclusive broadcast on ESPN and Disney+.

COMPLICATED PROJECTION

Coach Eduardo Domínguez acknowledges the difficulty of the match, but is confident in the Argentine team's ability to achieve a good result away from home. Estudiantes arrives with high morale: they had a solid campaign in the group stage and eliminated Cerro Porteño in the round of 16 , with three away wins and only one loss, against Botafogo.

Probable line-up: Fernando Muslera; Román Gómez, Santiago Núñez, Facundo Rodríguez and Santiago Arzamendia; Tiago Palacios, Gabriel Neves, Santiago Ascacíbar, Mikel Amondarain and Cristian Medina; Guido Carrillo.

HEAVY DEFAULTS

Estudiantes will be without key players for the Rio clash. 33-year-old defender González Pírez, a River Plate alumnus, suffered a Grade 3 injury to his right hamstring and is expected to be out for at least a month, missing both games against Flamengo .

In attack, Colombian Edwuin Cetré, 27, is also out. He suffered a grade 1 muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg and will not play at the Maracanã . However, he is expected to recover for the return leg, scheduled for September 25th in La Plata.