Ecuador’s Enner Valencia’s Internacional and Argentina’s Germán Can’s Fluminense face off this Wednesday in a do-or-die match between the two Brazilian teams that will determine the first finalist of the 2023 Copa Libertadores.

Both teams have only one win after the exciting draw (2-2) they recorded last week at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, where the final will be played on November 4.

Whoever emerges victorious from the battle of Beira-Rio, where a packed hall is expected, with 50,000 Colorado fans in attendance, will fight for the title of continental champion against the winner of the key duel between Palmeiras and Boca Juniors.

A new tie will take the tie to a penalty shootout.

The Porto Alegre team, who no one expected in this semi-final, hopes to strengthen at home and maintain the dream of winning a third Libertadores, after the titles won in 2006 and 2010.

Inter’s coach, Argentine Eduardo Coudet, has practically the entire cast at his disposal.

He is expected to keep Hugo Mallo at right back. The Spaniard was key in the first leg, scoring one of the goals and neutralizing attacks from Ken and Marcelo, the former Real Madrid player who starts on Wednesday.

Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who has been suffering from lower back pain, and midfielder Johnny, fresh from an ankle injury, were rested at the weekend and should also start for Inter’s most important game of the season in a decade.

Fluminense was represented by the loss of right-back Samuel Xavier, who was sent off at the Maracana. Guga is in the best position to replace him.

Central defender David Braz also did not travel to Porto Alegre due to a knee strain.

The team from Rio de Janeiro, runner-up in 2008, arrives determined not to repeat the mistakes of the first round in which they started the draw with a taste of victory after playing the second half numerically inferior.

“We are close to the finals, but at the same time far away because the Internacional is ahead of us. There will be a lot of fighting and fighting,” promised the experienced Felipe Melo.

The midfielder-turned-centre-back stated that they have studied Coudet’s team a lot and in that sense they hope to make it to the finals by giving a lesson in “hitting and humility”.

“Internazionale is a big club and we have to be careful with their whole team,” he warned.

And La Libertadores is the last big asset of the two teams that saved the season.

All energies are focused on the most prestigious club tournament in America, and the proof of this is that both Inter and ‘Gripa’ reserved most of their starters for the weekend in the Brazilian league and were convincingly defeated.

Coudet’s team lost at home to Atlético Mineiro (0-2), and Diniz’s team was defeated by Cuiaba (3-0). Only the Maracana final is important. (D)