Leonardo Jardim steps up Flamengo prep for Independiente del Valle | OneFootball

Rubro-Negro squad keeps an eye on the decisive Libertadores quarterfinal clash

On Monday (14), Flamengo’s squad returned to training at Ninho do Urubu after beating Corinthians 2-1 on Sunday (13) at the Maracanã. Lucas Paquetá opened the scoring early in the match. However, Corinthians found an equalizer through Gui Negão. Then, Bruno Henrique decided the contest in the 43rd minute, and the Rubro-Negro remained at the top of the Brasileirão.

In the first half, Rubro-Negro dominance was overwhelming, with 67% possession and 18 shots to Corinthians’ none. Even so, goalkeeper Hugo Souza had to make a save from Pedro’s header in the 21st minute. Despite the volume of play created, the result was only settled in the second half, with Bruno Henrique’s decisive goal.

How is Flamengo preparing for the clash with Independiente del Valle?

Now, on Tuesday (15), coach Leonardo Jardim is stepping up preparations for the Rubro-Negro players ahead of the showdown against Independiente del Valle (ECU). According to the schedule released by Flamengo, the squad has a training session set for Tuesday morning.

At Ninho do Urubu, Jardim will oversee the session starting at 10 a.m. Brasília time. Therefore, the football department’s full focus now turns to securing a place in the Libertadores semifinals.

The preparation window is short, since the decisive match takes place just two days after Tuesday’s training session. As a result, the coaching staff is working with limited time for physical and tactical adjustments before the game. Even so, the routine at Ninho do Urubu remains focused on the recovery of the players who featured against Corinthians.

When and where will the second leg between Flamengo and Del Valle take place?

The decisive clash will take place this Thursday (17) at the Maracanã in the Libertadores quarterfinals. So, a simple win is enough to seal Mais Querido’s qualification for the semifinals of the continental competition.

What happened in the first leg between Flamengo and Del Valle?

In the first leg, played in Quito, Flamengo won 2-0, with goals from Bruno Henrique and Léo Pereira. However, the result earned in Ecuador leaves the Rio de Janeiro side in a comfortable position for the return match.

Even so, Jardim is avoiding any sense of relaxation despite the away result. After all, even a one-goal defeat would still send Flamengo through to the semifinals. However, a loss by two goals or more would send the tie to penalties.

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