Brazilian clubs have won the last seven Copa Libertadores titles, South America's top club competition, and this year a Brazilian finalist is guaranteed. Palmeiras of São Paulo will face Fluminense of Rio de Janeiro over the next two weeks, with the winner earning a place in the final in Montevideo, Uruguay on Nov. 28.
The final could be a replay of last year's showdown, and of the 2021 decider, between Palmeiras and defending champions Flamengo. A Fluminense victory would instead produce a Rio derby on Uruguayan soil, a clash with a long history given the rivalry between the two clubs.
Before that, though, Flamengo must first get past an Argentine opponent, and it is not River Plate or Boca Juniors. Both Buenos Aires giants have struggled this year. River did not qualify for the Libertadores at all, and Boca finished third in their group, dropping into the Sudamericana.
The Argentine team still fighting for the continental title is Estudiantes de La Plata, a modest club from a city about 40 miles outside the capital. Estudiantes won three consecutive Libertadores titles between 1968 and 1970, and their tradition of upsetting bigger rivals suggests they are capable of stopping Brazil's dominance again.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing