Estudiantes: Flamengo’s Libertadores rivals with legend in goal | OneFootball

Flamengo and Estudiantes (ARG) will face each other for the first time in the Libertadores

On one side, a four-time champion of the Libertadores. On the other, one that dreams of the fourth trophy. Estudiantes (ARG) and Flamengo promise to make one of the most intense duels of the quarterfinals of the continental tournament. Did you know that the confrontation is unprecedented in the competition? And more, the teams have already crossed paths eight times in history, with an advantage for the Rubro-Negro. Check out a bit of the current squad of the Argentine team and the retrospective with Mengão.

WHO IS THE GOALKEEPER OF FOUR WORLD CUPS THAT DEFENDS ESTUDIANTES?

The most well-known name in Estudiantes' squad is Fernando Muslera, a 39-year-old Uruguayan goalkeeper who has already played with Arrascaeta, De La Cruz, Varela and Viña in Celeste. The athlete was hired to play the Libertadores playoffs, after all, he was announced last June.

Muslera is the goalkeeper with the most games in the history of the Uruguayan national team, with 133 matches, and a record holder for matches played by Celeste in World Cups: 16. However, a curiosity: the athlete was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and naturalized. In addition, the athlete is an idol of Galatasaray (TUR), where he won 18 titles.

WHO SHOULD FLAMENGO KEEP AN EYE ON ESTUDIANTES?

The highlight of Estudiantes in the Libertadores 2025 is midfielder Tiago Palacios, 24 years old. In the competition, the player scored three goals and provided one assist. In fact, two of the goals occurred against Botafogo, at Engenhão, in the group stage, in a 3-2 defeat.

In the season, the 1.67-meter-tall player has 30 games, six goals, and four assists. In the round of 16, against Cerro Porteño (PAR), Palacios was a starter in both matches, leaving at 23 minutes of the final stage in both matches, which put Estudiantes on the path to Flamengo.

WHO IS THE IDOL PRESIDENT OF ESTUDIANTES?

The president of Estudiantes is an old acquaintance of world football: Juan Sebastián Verón. As a player, 'La Brujita' (the little witch) played in three World Cups and wore shirts of important clubs, such as Manchester United (ING), Lazio (ITA), Chelsea (ING), and Inter de Milão (ITA). But the ex-athlete made history in the team that will face Flamengo.

Verón was champion of the Copa Libertadores da América in 2009 as a player, against Cruzeiro, at Mineirão, the fourth title of the team in the competition. Curiously, the other three were won under the command of his father, Juan Ramón Verón, in 1968, 1969, and 1970. Ramón, known as 'La Bruja' (the witch), is considered one of the greatest idols in the history of the club and passed away in May this year.

HOW IS ESTUDIANTES IN THE LIBERTADORES?

In the current edition of the Libertadores, Estudiantes passed in first place in Group A, the same as Botafogo. Both teams advanced with 12 points, but the Argentines finished first due to the better balance. The campaign was as follows: four victories and two defeats. The triumphs occurred against Carabobo (VEN), twice, Botafogo, at home, and Universidad de Chile, away. The negative results were at Engenhão and, as hosts, against the Chileans.

In the round of 16, Estudiantes beat Cerro Porteño 1-0, with a penalty goal, in the Paraguayan team's home, in the final minutes. Already in the return match, at home, the Argentines managed to hold the 0-0, securing a spot in the quarterfinals. Now, Verón's team is preparing to face Flamengo in the last two weeks of September, with the first leg at Maracanã and the return match in Argentina.

WHAT IS THE RETROSPECTIVE BETWEEN FLAMENGO X ESTUDIANTES?

In summary, Flamengo and Estudiantes have faced each other eight times in history, with three victories for Mengão, four draws, and one Argentine triumph. In total, Rubro-Negro scored nine goals, against five for the opponent. All the matches took place in the extinct Supercopa dos Campeões da Libertadores. Thus, check out the retrospective.

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