The second all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final in two years takes place this Saturday, as reigning champions Palmeiras aim to defend their crown against Flamengo at Montevideo’s Centenario.
Palmeiras secured a 1-0 victory over Santos in last season’s final, clinching their second Copa Libertadores title in the club’s history.
Flamengo also have two titles to their name. They first triumphed back in 1981 before beating Argentinian giants River Plate 2-1 in the 2019 final.
With a rich history shared between both clubs in this competition, Saturday’s showpiece is destined to be a memorable encounter.
It is also worth noting that these two sides are separated by just a single place in Brazil’s Serie A standings, with second-place Flamengo leading third-place Palmeiras by eight points.
Palmeiras have lost just one of their 12 Copa Libertadores matches this season, picking up eight wins and three draws along the way.
They won five of their opening six games to finish six points clear at the top of Group A before seeing off Universidad Catolica, Sao Paulo and Atletico Mineiro in the knockouts.
Still, there is no hiding from the fact that Palmeiras head into the 2021 Copa Libertadores final on a four-game winless streak.
After securing six consecutive Serie A wins, Palmeiras suffered three straight losses before drawing 2-2 with Atletico Mineiro in their previous outing.
On the flip side, Flamengo are unbeaten in the Copa Libertadores this term, having sealed nine wins and three draws on their way to the final.
After finishing atop Group G, they thrashed Defensa y Justiuca (5-1 agg.) and Olimpia (9-2 agg.) before beating Ecuador’s Barcelona 4-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Just like Palmeiras, Flamengo head into Saturday’s final on the back of a 2-2 draw. However, they are also enjoying a nine-match unbeaten streak in Serie A.
Head-to-head: Palmeiras and Flamengo have already faced each other twice this year. Flamengo triumphed on both occasions, winning 1-0 on home soil before winning 3-1 away.
When you look at the bigger picture, Palmeiras have failed to win any of their last nine meetings with Flamengo in all competitions, recording four draws and five losses in that time.
Team news: Palmeiras have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the final. They will be relying on winger Rony, who has bagged six goals in ten Libertadores outings this term.
Flamengo will welcome Gabi back into the side following his Serie A suspension. The forward has notched 27 goals and nine assists in 39 games across all competitions this season.
Given that these two sides are separated by just a single place in the Serie A standings, this is destined to be a close match.
Forebet predicts that Palmeiras and Flamengo will play out a high-scoring draw inside 90 minutes, with extra-time and/or penalties required to crown the 2021 Copa Libertadores champions.
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