The exponents of the best soccer in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are also the last two champions of the tournament.
In an anticipated party atmosphere in Montevideo taken over by thousands of Brazilian fans, Palmeiras and Flamengo, two-time Copa Libertadores champions, face off this Saturday for the dream of becoming the best club in America for the third time.
The Uruguayan capital beats from early on the match that will be played, starting at 3:00 p.m., at the legendary Centenario Stadium between the most popular team in Brazil -the Carioca ‘Fla’- and the most successful at the local level -the Paulista’ Verdao’-.
The exponents of the best football in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are also the last two champions of the tournament, a clash that has not occurred in a Libertadores final for 60 years.
Thousands of ‘torcedores’ dressed in the jackets of their clubs – among which the red and black of the ‘Mengao’ will predominate – took over the city in the last hours, giving away postcards of quiet tourist walks and songs of football hubbub.
Many stayed around the renovated Centennial, which the most optimistic hope will be filled with 60,000 attendees, although due to the high cost of tickets (from $ 200 for Brazilians and $ 300 for Uruguayans) it may end up showing some flanks.
While Conmebol, the governing body of South American football, has not released numbers of tickets sold, from the National Directorate of Migration it was reported that between last Monday and noon on Friday, only 15,013 Brazilians entered Uruguay.
However, a good amount is expected to arrive in the country a few hours before the kickoff.
All in the head
Meanwhile, everything is prepared so that the meeting is a real party.
Anitta, the Brazilian pop music star, will give a show in the preview of the match. If there is equality at the end of the regulation 90 minutes, the teams will play an extension and, if the tie continues, everything will be defined on penalties.
Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira considered that the biggest adversary his players will have this Saturday will be their own head.
In a match of this caliber, “30% is tactical” and “another 70% comes from here,” said the Portuguese coach pointing to his temple on Friday at a press conference.
“The biggest adversary tomorrow (this Saturday) is within each one of us,” he said, before adding that the greatest request of his players is that they be “faithful to their game” and “play collectively.”
The driver of the reigning champion added that he hopes his team will focus and be aware of the moment they will live. I want them to be “focused from the first to the last second, to enjoy themselves, to provide a great show.”
On the other hand, the Flamengo coach, who returns to a final in the same stadium where the club won its first Libertadores in 1981, congratulated himself on being in front of a “wonderful” team and pointed out that both finalists reached this stage on merits. own.
“A final of Libertadores is for few,” said DT Renato Portaluppi, before assuring that they should not give Palmeiras chances and that the final has no favorites. “We have a very strong team on the other side,” he added.
Bars away
In agreement with the Uruguayan authorities, organized bars of both clubs that arrive in Montevideo this Saturday without accommodation, only for the day and by land, will wait for their entry in areas of the city that are distant from each other.
The supporters of Palmeiras will concentrate in the coastal neighborhood Parque Rodó while the fans of the ‘Mengao’ will await the moment of the clash in the farthest Parque Roosevelt.
As explained by Commissioner Richard Cabral, Chief of the Police General Staff and in charge of the security operation, once the meeting is over, the members of the losing team will leave the stadium directly to the buses, which will be escorted by national routes to the border with Brazil.
Meanwhile, there are no specific celebration areas for the winners. Troops will patrol the usual concentration points for celebrations, such as the main avenues and the Rambla of the capital.
Montevideo closes this Saturday a cycle of three continental finals received in a week, after hosting the Copa Sudamericana and the Copa Libertadores for women. (D)
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