Flamengo welcome Venezuelan club Deportivo Tachira to the Maracana on Wednesday night in a must-win matchday six Copa Libertadores clash for the Brazilian giants.
A sub-par group stage campaign so far means the 2019 and 2022 champions are at risk of suffering elimination on the final matchday this midweek, with LDU Quito waiting to pounce.
Match preview
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Flamengo's fate is in their own hands this week, because if they win, there is no chance that both Central Cordoba or Quito can overtake them, with it all so devilishly tight in Group C.
Central Cordoba travel to Quito this week three points clear at the top, while the Ecuadorian side are level on points with Flamengo, and only one goal back on goal difference.
Should Filipe Luis's men drop points though, they will be in big danger of slipping into third, and dropping down into the Copa Sudamericana.
The situation for the Brazilian giants was even more perilous ahead of matchday five, when they had to win against Quito in order to make sure their fate was in their own hands heading into this fixture.
Facing Tachira at home is as favourable a fixture as the hosts could have hoped for though, with the Venezuelans still yet to get off the mark in the group, and Flamengo also bring strong form into the tie.
A big 2-0 win at Palmeiras on Sunday has moved Luis's men to within a point of the league leaders in Brazil's Serie A, with an intriguing title race set to await this season.
All focus will switch to continental matters for the time being though, and they will be huge favourites to beat a Tachira side who have already suffered elimination after five defeats from five.
It was against Flamengo where Tachira got their campaign underway, losing 1-0 on home soil to the Brazilians back on matchday one, and matters have only gotten worse since.
That is in complete contrast to how they are performing domestically though, because Edgar Perez Greco's men are already through to the Apertura final, following four wins from four in the second stage over the last month.
Tachira's place in that final was sealed this weekend, thanks to a 4-2 win away to Carabobo, meaning their only defeats across the last nine games have all come in the Libertadores, where the Venezuelans have simply been out of their depth.
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Team News
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Flamengo are set to be without important quartet Nicolas de la Cruz, Gonzalo Plata, Erick Pulgar and Allan due to injury for this encounter, while Matias Vina may need some time to build up his match fitness after missing all of 2025 so far.
Wesley Franca is back from a domestic suspension though, but after picking up knocks at the weekend, there are doubts over the fitness of both Everton Soares and Brazil international Gerson.
Ill-discipline has been the Achilles heel for Tachira on the continent this season, and another two dismissals for Edicson Tamiche and Carlos Sosa last time out against Cordoba contributed to that defeat, and means they will be suspended here.
Carlos Vivas is back after being sent off on matchday four against Quito though, while Lucas Acevedo and Jose Balza are back from injury, making the bench for the 4-2 win on Sunday, but Yanniel Hernandez remains doubtful.
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Rossi; Danilo, Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira; Varela, Evertton Araujo, De Arrascaeta, Alex Sandro; Luiz Araujo, Pedro, Bruno Henrique
Deportivo Tachira possible starting lineup:
Camargo; Rosales, Vivas, Maidana, Quintero; Saggiomo, Requena, Calzadilla, Cova; Sosa, Castillo
We say: Flamengo 4-0 Deportivo Tachira
With five defeats from five so far, there is little down for Tachira here at the Maracana, and Flamengo will be determined to win by a healthy margin, with goal difference set to play its part in the order in which the top two are placed.
The hosts are hitting form at the perfect time, performing well both domestically and on the continent, and there will be few betting against them in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
