Brazil Leads the Final Stretch of Libertadores and Sudamericana
With nine Brazilians among the 16 teams in the quarter-finals, Brazil is leading in both the Libertadores and Sudamericana, which enter their final stretch starting this Tuesday.
The "Brazilian invasion" in the top eight phase guarantees that at least three teams from the country, and possibly more, will have a spot secured in the semi-finals.
Five Brazilians in the Libertadores Quarter-Finals
In the 65th edition of the Libertadores, Fluminense, the 2023 tournament champion, leads the five Brazilian teams in action.
Alongside Fluminense are Flamengo, their fiercest rival in Rio de Janeiro; Botafogo, Sao Paulo, and Atlético Mineiro.
Brazilian dominance in the Libertadores will be challenged by three of the most traditional clubs from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay: River Plate, Colo Colo, and Peñarol.
Argentina or Chile will bid farewell to the tournament at this stage, as River Plate and Colo Colo face each other, in the only quarter-final match of the Libertadores that does not feature a Brazilian team.
This Tuesday, Colo Colo will host River Plate in the first match of the week opening the Libertadores.
Two Brazilian matchups will be played on Wednesday.
Fluminense, who eliminated Gremio on penalties in the Round of 16, is preparing to face Atlético Mineiro. Botafogo, the leader of the Brazilian Championship, will face Sao Paulo.
Flamengo will play on Thursday against Peñarol, the last Uruguayan survivor.
First-leg quarter-final matches of the Libertadores:
- 17.09: Colo Colo (CHI) - River Plate (ARG)
- 18.09: Fluminense (BRA) - Atlético Mineiro (BRA)
- 18.09: Botafogo (BRA) - Sao Paulo (BRA)
- 19.09: Flamengo (BRA) - Peñarol (URU)
Top Scorers:
- With 9: Júnior Santos (Botafogo)
- With 6: Miguel Borja (COL-River Plate), Maximiliano Silvera (Peñarol), and Paulinho (Atlético Mineiro)
- With 5: Francisco da Costa Aragão 'Chico da Costa' (BRA-Bolívar) and Pedro (Flamengo)
Four Brazilians in the Sudamericana Quarter-Finals
In the Copa Sudamericana, there are four Brazilian teams in competition, not five, and two of them will face each other.
Fortaleza, Corinthians, Athletico Paranaense, and Cruzeiro are among the top eight, along with Argentina’s Racing and Lanús, Colombia’s Independiente Medellín, and Paraguay’s Libertad.
The clash between the Brazilians Fortaleza and Corinthians will mark the opening of the quarter-finals in the Sudamericana on Tuesday.
Lanús, which eliminated the 2023 champion Liga de Quito in the Round of 16, will face Independiente Medellín, the only Colombian team left in the competition, on Wednesday.
On Thursday, an Argentine club, Racing, and a Paraguayan one, Libertad, will attempt to halt Brazilian dominance when they face Athletico Paranaense and Cruzeiro in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
First-leg quarter-final matches of the Sudamericana:
- 17.09: Fortaleza (BRA) - Corinthians (BRA)
- 18.09: Lanús (ARG) - Independiente Medellín (COL)
- 19.09: Athletico Paranaense (BRA) - Racing (ARG)
- 19.09: Libertad (PAR) - Cruzeiro (BRA)
Top Scorers:
- With 8: Adrián 'Maravilla' Martínez (Racing)
- With 7: Gonzalo Mastriani (URU-Athletico Paranaense), Juan Martín Lucero (ARG-Fortaleza), and Walter Bou (ARG-Lanús)
- With 6: Brayan León (Independiente Medellín)
