Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Copa Libertadores clash between Flamengo and Racing Club, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Brazil and Argentina renew rivalries when CR Flamengo square up to Racing Club in the Copa Libertadores semi-final first leg at the Maracana on October 23.
Both teams are coming off domestic victories over the weekend, setting up a tasty affair in Rio de Janeiro.
Match preview
Flamengo will be buzzing heading into their first leg of the semi-finals, especially after pegging their Brazilian Serie A leaders, Palmeiras, back with a win last weekend.
As a result, there are hopes that the Fla can secure the Brasileiro title for the first time since 2020, but perhaps more importantly, they are only two games away from reaching the final of the Copa Libertadores.
The Brazilian outfit won the competition three times before, with the previous triumph coming in 2022, so it is now up to Filipe Luis to bring glory back to the club.
The manager has only ever been with Flamengo, and he has overseen 73 games since taking over in September last year, losing just seven and winning 48 for a win percentage of 66%.
Luis has already guided the Mengao to the Brazilian Cup, the regional Campeonato Carioca and the Supercopa, and will now seek to add another feather to his cap with this continental piece of silverware.
Flamengo are in good nick, losing just one of their last five games, and they won the most recent meeting with the visitors back in 2023, remaining unbeaten against this opposition in four head-to-heads.
That record must be changed by Racing Club if they are to seriously challenge the Brazilian club and book a spot in the Copa Libertadores final.
The Academy recently bagged the Recopa Sudamericana as a result of their Copa Sudamericana triumph in 2024, but it has largely been a lean period for trophies for the Avellaneda-based club.
The visitors last won this competition in 1967 and were Argentine champions last in 2019, but with Gustavo Costas at the helm, there is always a chance of success.
Costas is a serial winner and has already bagged the league titles in Paraguay, Peru and Colombia, but he has yet to do the business in his native land.
Unbeaten in their last three outings, Racing should be confident heading into this first-leg semi-final, reducing the head-to-head record to just history.
Flamengo Copa Libertadores form:
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Flamengo form (all competitions):
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Racing Club Copa Libertadores form:
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Racing Club form (all competitions):
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Team News
The home side have injuries to midfielders Everton and Saul Niguez, while Nicolas de la Cruz, Allan and Leo Ortiz are doubts for the first leg.
Flamengo’s primary threat will come from frontman Pedro, who has four goal involvements from his last two outings (G2, A2), while the Brazilian netted just two goals from nine appearances in this competition.
The other danger man for the hosts is Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who registered three goal involvements in his last two games for the club, but he has a total of 15 goals and 12 assists for Fla in their Serie A campaign, and being deployed just behind Pedro means he will always be a threat to the opposition.
Racing Club have a massive list of injured players, including Alan Forneris (knee), Juan Nardoni (muscle), Franco Pardo (muscle), Gabriel Rojas and Elias Torres (knee) are all out of the first leg.
Santiago Sosa, Facundo Mura and Gabriel Arias are also doubtful to be involved against Flamengo.
However, coach Costas will be relying on his striker Adrian Martinez for attacking impetus because the 33-year-old played just 20 minutes over the weekend, and is the leading goalscorer across this competition with seven goals in 10 games.
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Rossi; Emerson Royal, Ortiz, Pereira, Sandro; Jorginho, Pulgar; Araujo, De Arrascaeta, Lino; Pedro
Racing Club possible starting lineup:
Cambeses; Torres, Di Cesare, Garcia, Quiros; Zuculini, Sanchez; Degregorio, Vietto, Conechny; Martinez
We say: Flamengo 2-1 Racing Club
The Brazilian side may just edge this one, based on the fact that they are flying high at the moment, challenging for their domestic league title, and have already bagged some silverware recently.
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