There’s an all-Brazilian final to conclude this year’s Copa Libertadores, and Flamengo is strong favorites to win the competition for the third time.
Checking out the main sports online betting sites, we can see that bettors are heavily favoring Flamengo for this all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores clash. They are rated as -185 favorites to win the game in normal time, while Athletico Paranaense is priced at +540, and if you think that extra time or penalties will be needed to separate them, you can back the normal time draw at +300.
The Copa Libertadores is the biggest club tournament in South America and is organized by CONMEBOL, South America’s continental football association. It was first held in 1960, expanded in 2000, and now features 32 teams from 10 South American associations.
Since the competition’s inception, 25 clubs have won the Copa Libertadores, with Argentina’s Independiente setting the record with seven triumphs. Brazil has produced the most champions overall, and those ranks include one of this year’s finalists, Flamengo, who won the competition in 1981 and 2019. This years final will be held at the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The 2008 and 2016 events were held in Quito’s capital, but Guayaquil will be hosting the Final for the first time this year.
After a sluggish start to the season, Flamengo has improved under new manager Dorival Junior, who replaced Paulo Sousa for his third stint in the team. Flamengo has steadily ascended the ladder while succeeding in the Copa do Brasil and making it to the Copa Libertadores final after only winning four of their first 18 Serie A games.
Flamengo had impressed throughout the competition, especially in the knockout stages, when they produced some extremely impressive performances. They defeated Colombia’s Deportes Tolima 8-1 on aggregate in the Round of 16, then beat Corinthians 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Velez Sarsfield 6-1 in the semifinals to reach the final for the third time in four years.
When he took over in May, Luiz Filipe Scolari was tasked with salvaging Athletico Paranaense’s season. At the time, the team was mired in 16th position in Serie A, but under Scolari, there has been a steady improvement, and as the season nears its conclusion, they are sixth in the standings.
They have achieved impressive successes, notably against Palmeiras in July, but their defense has improved most noticeably. They had a run of three clean sheets earlier this month, and despite having a mixed record overall, they have been difficult opponents to play against.
Paranaense has only a modest record in the Copa Libertadores compared to their opponents. They have only made it to the final once before this year, in 2005, and they certainly had to work for it this season, placing second in their Group and then making it through a string of tightly contested matches to reach the championship game.
A goal by Vitor Roque in the sixth minute of added time at the end of the second leg enabled them to defeat Argentina’s Estudiantes in the quarterfinal, following a narrow win over Libertad of Paraguay in the Round of 16 battle.
Their best performance came against the defending champions Palmeiras in the semifinal. They prevailed 1-0 in the home leg but ran into difficulties down 2-0 in the second leg just before the hour mark. But against the odds, they advanced to the final by scoring twice in the second half through Pablo and David Terans to set up another chance to lift this trophy for the first time.
As they prepare for this match, Flamengo is dealing with several injury issues. Rodrigo Caio has also been sidelined with a knee injury, but depending on how quickly his recuperation goes, he might be able to play in this match. Bruno Henrique’s knee injury from the summer is expected to keep him out of action until next year.
The team news is worse for Athletico Paranaense because three long-term absentees are still on their injury list. Due to a torn ACL, Marcelo Cirino will miss the remainder of the season, and Reinaldo and Julimar won’t be ready until next season due to knee injuries.
Although Flamengo is the clear favorite in this match, the oddsmakers may underestimate Flamengo’s rivals. Paranaense had to win some challenging games to reach the final, and their manager, who had previously won this competition, is one of the most seasoned in all football. They intend to keep this game close, force Flamengo to fight for every opportunity, and consider their defensive strength. The normal-time draw looks like the best Copa Libertadores betting pick.
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