Brazil rivals Flamengo and Palmeiras meet in Copa Libertadores final

Flamengo and Palmeiras seek their fourth Copa Libertadores titles and South American bragging rights in the final on Saturday in Lima.

The teams have won the Copa twice in the last six years and they’ve also competed for Brazilian league supremacy for almost a decade.

Flamengo and Palmeiras have been favorites at every edition of the Copa since 2019. Financially troubled at the start of the 2010s, the clubs have become economic powerhouses after finding stability and making big signings.

According to Transfermarkt, which specializes in valuing footballers, the squads have a combined value of more than $470 million.

Their last encounter at Maracana Stadium on Oct. 19 in a Brazilian league match saw Flamengo win 3-2 after a fierce battle.

Flamengo coach Felipe Luis, who won two Copa Libertadores titles with the club as a player, relies heavily on two former Atletico Madrid players, winger Samuel Lino and midfielder Saúl Ñíguez. Former Italy midfielder Jorginho and Uruguay international Giorgián de Arrascaeta are also expected to feature in the lineup.

Luis will miss striker Pedro, who has a left thigh injury. He scored some of Flamengo’s most important goals in the season.

“We also want to win this final for him. He made a very big effort to be here here but couldn’t recover in time,” Luis said on Friday. “It is a different feeling from being a player; I used to worry about myself, my body, my legs, my behavior. Now I need to get ready for everything. But I am enjoying it, I hope that happens during the game, too.”

Coach Abel Ferreira will be under pressure to land his third Copa with Palmeiras, especially because his team looks like losing the Brazilian league crown to Flamengo. He is hoping former Barcelona striker Vitor Roque and Argentine forward Flaco Lopez, the Copa top scorer with seven goals, can sparkle in Estadio Monumental.

“It is a final, we know most about each other, but this will be decided by details. It is about where each piece can play,” Ferreira said on Friday. “I like players who can fill different roles. And that could be a surprise, the players’ dynamic.”

Palmeiras spared its entire starting lineup on Wednesday in a 3-2 Brazilian league defeat at Gremio. Flamengo fielded several starters in its 1-1 draw at Atletico Mineiro.

Four years ago in the Copa final, Ferreira’s tactics were key as Palmeiras beat Flamengo 2-1 in extra time after a mistake from another player who will be involved on Saturday.

Former Manchester United and Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira was then a Flamengo player. He lost the ball under pressure from striker Deyverson, who ended up scoring the winning goal.

Pereira, who has also played for Brazil recently, says he has been troubled by that error every day since. But on Saturday he will be playing for Palmeiras.

“When we came back, people wanted to destroy the bus, attack my house. We had to leave the bus early and get another car,” said Pereira, who joined Fulham five months after the final.

Whoever wins will give Brazil its 25th Copa title, equalling Argentina’s tally.

The champion takes home $24 million and a place in the 2029 Club World Cup. It will also play in the Recopa against Lanús, which won the Copa Sudamericana last Saturday. The runner-up receives $7 million.

___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer