Renê shrugs off favouritism, Fluminense owe Flamengo nothing | OneFootball

Tricolor full-back commented on a possible clash between Rio rivals in the Libertadores final

The Copa Libertadores is heading into its final stages, and a possible showdown between Flamengo and Fluminense is already stirring up fans in Rio. Asked about the topic, full-back Renê pushed back against the favoritism narrative. The player said that the tricolor side is on equal footing with Rubro-Negro in the race.

— Sometimes there is that talk, yes, about Palmeiras and Flamengo being favorites, but less so when it comes to the Libertadores, right? In the Brasileirão, there’s a lot of that conversation. They are two teams that have been showing their strength, they have very strong squads, investment, and they’re in a good moment. So I believe all of that helps shape their opinion -, he said, before concluding:

— But we know that on the field it’s 11 against 11, everything is equal, especially in cup competitions, where it’s a different kind of match, not as open as a league championship. So we talk about it, but we know our strength, and on the field we don’t owe anything to anyone -, Renê concluded in an interview with ‘ESPN’.

How are Flamengo and Fluminense doing in the Libertadores?

Flamengo and Fluminense are on opposite sides of the Libertadores knockout bracket. Therefore, the Rio rivals can only meet in a potential final, scheduled for November 28 at the Centenario Stadium in Uruguay.

Fluminense face Platense (ARG) in the quarterfinals of the competition. After a 2-0 win in the first leg at the Maracanã, the team from Laranjeiras comes into the return leg with the advantage. The second match takes place this Tuesday (15) at 7:00 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Ciudad de Vicente López Stadium.

Flamengo, meanwhile, take on Independiente del Valle (ECU), also in the quarterfinals. After a 2-0 win in the altitude of Quito, Rubro-Negro hold a big advantage for the return leg. That means Mengão can lose by as much as one goal at the Maracanã and still secure a direct place in the semifinal.

What are the details of the Flamengo vs. Del Valle match?

The decisive match between Flamengo and Independiente del Valle takes place this Thursday (17). Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã, with the promise of a ‘packed’ stadium from the rubro-negra fans.

Thus, ESPN, on cable TV, and Disney+, via streaming, will broadcast the 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.