Jardim hails Del Valle, warns of Estudiantes before Libertadores semi

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Coluna do Fla

·18 September 2026

Jardim hails Del Valle, warns of Estudiantes before Libertadores semi

Flamengo coach highlighted the strength of Independiente del Valle (ECU)

Flamengo drew 1-1 with Independiente del Valle (ECU) this Thursday (17) and secured qualification for the Libertadores semifinals. Now, Mengão will face Estudiantes (ARG) in search of a place in the final. Leonardo Jardim then looked ahead to the matchup and highlighted the level of the opponents faced in the competition.

What did Jardim say about the semifinal against Estudiantes?

“This semifinal shows that our group was strong. The two teams that advanced are in the semifinals. It is a quality team, extremely intense. We have not faced any opponent of lesser quality. Del Valle, which for me is a good team, I even congratulate the coach, not only for this match, but for everything he has been doing in the league and in the Libertadores. It is a team that knows how to play, has principles, and is capable of maintaining the same intensity throughout. It is a team that has some important principles that I like. Then, Estudiantes is a team we have already faced, and we know their value. It is a team that has shown this year, and in recent editions of the Libertadores, its energy and the quality of its players. And we also played against Cruzeiro, which is a team full of quality. So all opponents are strong. We have to prepare in the best way possible, always respecting everyone and trying to impose our ideas,” said Jardim.

How did Flamengo qualify?

Flamengo reached the Libertadores semifinals after eliminating Independiente del Valle. After the Rubro-Negro’s 2-0 win in the first leg at the altitude of Quito, the teams drew 1-1 at the Maracanã. That way, Rubro-Negro secured the spot with a 3-1 aggregate score.

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Estudiantes eliminated Corinthians in the Libertadores

Flamengo’s opponent, Estudiantes, qualified after knocking out Corinthians in the quarterfinals. In the first leg, in La Plata, the teams drew 1-1. Finally, at Neo Química Arena, the Argentine side won 1-0 and advanced to the next round.

When will the matches between Flamengo and Estudiantes be played?

The matches between Flamengo and Estudiantes are scheduled for the weeks of October 14 and 21. The first leg will be played at the Argentine team’s home, while the decisive match will be at the Maracanã. It is worth noting that Flamengo will host the second leg for a place in the final because they had the best overall campaign among the semifinalists.

Flamengo and Estudiantes faced each other in the Libertadores group stage

The semifinal matches, in fact, will not be the first between Flamengo and Estudiantes in 2026. That is because the teams faced each other in the Libertadores group stage. The teams drew 1-1 in Argentina, while Rubro-Negro won 1-0 at the Maracanã.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

Flamengo will now put the Libertadores ‘aside’ and turn its focus back to the Brasileirão. This Sunday (20), Leonardo Jardim’s team will face Red Bull Bragantino at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã, for the 28th round of the league.

Thus, SporTV (subscription channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the Flamengo vs. Bragantino match. In addition, Coluna do Fla will follow every detail of the clash on its website, on YouTube and across its social media.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.