The Globe

Libertadores: Fla is one of the top seeds

Rubro-negro will be accompanied by Flu, Santos and São Paulo, who will not meet in the 1st phase

At a meeting held last week in Asunción, the South American Confederation decided that Flamengo will be the top seed, alongside São Paulo, Santos, and Fluminense, in the group draw for the 2008 Copa Libertadores, which will be held on the 19th in Paraguay. To build a strong team for the continent's biggest tournament, Flamengo has practically guaranteed the retention of goalkeeper Bruno and now hopes to retain midfielder Cristian, another priority for coach Joel Santana.

Cristian's transfer to Lokomotiv was almost finalized. But as the Moscow club changed its coach, and the new one wasn't very inclined to back his predecessor's appointment, the transfer was threatened, and the board began to consider the possibility of the midfielder leaving Gávea as practically a foregone conclusion. If Cristian stayed, Flamengo would have to negotiate a R$500 payment to Atlético-PR.

Bruno's situation, according to the club's directors, is practically resolved, as the foreign investors who hold his rights have agreed to the club's proposal to transfer him permanently. All that remains is to resolve the payment method.

While football is experiencing a period of speculation and calm due to players' vacations, the political landscape threatens to heat up. Today, the Deliberative Council meets to consider the accounts of a debt that would reach R$207 million.

"There won't be any problems with these accounts. Flamengo's debt confession to join Timemania is R$200 million. It's the largest club debt in Brazil, but this debt has been accumulating over several administrations. I have proof that we paid R$20 million to the Federal Revenue Service and the INSS (National Institute of Social Security). We'll negotiate with the government to pay R$180 million in 240 installments," says president Márcio Braga. "At the meeting, I'll also show that with the victory over ISL and Pelé Sports & Marketing, the club eliminated R$300 million from its liabilities."

Ancelmo Gois

Eye on Maracanã

This week, the memorandum of understanding between the CBF, Flamengo and Fluminense is expected to be signed, creating a consortium to compete for the management of Maracanã.

The lawyers are talking: Francisco Müssnich for the CBF, Roberta Fernandes for Fluminense, Adalberto Ribeiro and Pedro Trengrouse for Flamengo.

Sports Journal

The hot topic in Gávea

Argentine Conca is expected to replace midfielder Roger, who was released by Flamengo last week.

Thiago Bokel

'Hermano' Conca is close to playing in the Copa Libertadores for Flamengo

After dismissing midfielder Roger last Thursday, the board moved quickly to find a replacement, and he now finds himself at their biggest rival, Vasco. Argentinian Darío Conca is very close to signing with the Red-Blacks and playing in next year's Copa Libertadores. The fees to bring him in are very similar to what would be invested to keep Roger.

Flamengo has already reached an agreement with Conca, offering R$150, triple what he was earning at the Cruzmaltino club. Roger earned R$140 at Gávea and didn't respond.

Furthermore, to retain the midfielder, Flamengo would have to pay US$500 to Corinthians, which holds his federation rights. In the case of the Argentine, this amount is charged for the one-year loan from River Plate, to which Conca is linked.

Kleber, fan of the 'hermano'

Another factor that proves this rapprochement is the admiration that vice president of football Kleber Leite has for the foreigner. The director has already told some friends that he loves Conca's football, and he has also admitted that he is unlikely to remain at Colina for the next year. To acquire the player's economic rights, Flamengo would need to shell out US$3 million, an unfeasible amount at this point, as the club is racing against time to raise the US$6,5 million to keep goalkeeper Bruno for another five years.

Conca's own agent, Hugo de Benedetti, has already confirmed that he has been offered to Flamengo, and has practically ruled out his staying at Vasco, who do not have the money to acquire the midfielder's rights, as the Argentine club has no interest in loaning him out to the Cruzmaltino club again.

Flamengo had other strong competitors in the fight to sign the Argentine, such as Fluminense, Botafogo and Palmeiras, but the possibility of competing in the Libertadores for the club with the biggest fan base in Brazil seems to have changed the player's mind.

No longer burdened with keeping Roger on the roster, the board will use the funds made available to retain the midfielder to bring in a significant reinforcement. Given the current market situation, Conca has emerged as the strongest candidate to become the new Red-Black maestro.

Copa Libertadores Package in sight

Former Inter player and currently at Monaco, defender Bolívar (E) is one of the names for next year

In addition to attempting to sign Argentine midfielder Darío Conca, Flamengo is already working on other names for next season. Two players are of interest to the club, but their contracts have not yet been finalized. Midfielder Paulo Baier, who is leaving Goiás, and defender Fabiano Eller, currently with Atlético Madrid, are receiving much buzz at Gávea.

While the midfielder will have a meeting today with Cruzeiro, who could arrange his move to the Celeste team, the defender would be the option if the club is unable to finalize the arrival of Bolívar, who will also meet with the Cruzeiro board this afternoon.

If Bolívar comes to Flamengo, Fabiano Eller's name will be ruled out, but if he doesn't come, the player who was Bolívar's defensive partner in the 2006 Libertadores win for Internacional will be the option to form a duo with Fábio Luciano.

Paulo Baier's situation is being kept under wraps at Gávea. He, who previously played for Botafogo and Vasco, was the star of the Goiás team in the last Brazilian Championship, but was marked by missed penalties against Corinthians and Inter. Referee Djalma Beltrami ordered two penalty retakes for the latter, and on the third attempt, Baier gave up on taking the penalty, passing the responsibility to Élson, who converted the spot kick and secured Goiás' promotion to Serie A.

Without vacation, Romulo trains to return

While most of the squad's players are enjoying a well-deserved vacation, one player in particular isn't getting to savor it. Midfielder Rômulo, who tore the cruciate ligaments in his right knee on October 18th in the 2-1 victory over Vasco, has been coming to the club every day for muscle strengthening work.

Despite having undergone surgery at the beginning of November, with an expected five-month absence from the field, Rômulo has shown a rapid recovery and should be available to coach Joel Santana to play again in February.

"Every player likes to enjoy their vacation, but I have to treat the injury. I can't complain, after all, I had a very good year, earning my first chance among the professionals and I know that this sacrifice will have a positive result in the near future," said Rômulo, who will travel to Caxias do Sul, the city where he was born, on the 20th, but will have to continue his treatment even from a distance.

Without fear

The possibility of bringing in other players doesn't faze the 20-year-old midfielder. "There's always been competition, and whoever gets signed always comes to be a starter. I know that in these times, the youth academy players are left aside, but I'm very grateful to Joel, who gave me the opportunity to play, and I know he'll pick whoever is best," said the player, who missed the final stretch of the Brazilian Championship due to injury, when Flamengo secured a spot in the Libertadores.

Fla suffers its first defeat in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship

Without repeating their performances from previous matches, the red-and-black youth team was defeated by Internacional 2-0 this Sunday in Passo D'Areia. With the result, the team led by Adílio loses its unbeaten streak in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship. Fernando and Hélder scored the winning goals for the Gauchos.

In the next round, Flamengo faces Náutico on Wednesday, and Palmeiras faces Paulista. Group 1 leader Internacional has a bye.

Former Inter player, Bolívar could be an option for the red-black defense

As vice president of football Kleber Leite previously announced, Flamengo is looking for a defender, and one name that has been heavily discussed in recent days is Bolívar, currently with Monaco in France. The player won the Copa Libertadores in 2006 with Internacional and reportedly has the experience needed to compete in the South American competition. However, negotiations won't be easy.

The only club to submit an official offer for the defender was Cruzeiro. Inter itself approached him, as the current sheriff, Índio, is believed to be leaving. Flamengo didn't actually approach him, but businessman Reinaldo Pitta, who wields significant influence in Gávea, consulted the player's agent, known in soccer circles as Neco, to see if Bolívar was interested in playing in the Libertadores for the red-and-black club.

"What player wouldn't want to play in the Libertadores for Flamengo? The fans' celebration during the Brazilian Championship was wonderful," Bolívar praised.

Rival Cruzeiro\ Although the defender shows interest in playing at Gávea, Flamengo is behind in the fight for the player, as Cruzeiro will play in the qualifying phase for the Libertadores, having finished fifth in the Brazilian Championship and has already formalized its interest.\

Furthermore, coach Abel Braga is very fond of his football and wants to take him to the South. Bolívar has a newborn son and is asking his current club if there's a possibility of a one-year loan to a Brazilian club.

Balance until the last test of the day in Lagoa

The day's winning club was only known in the last three races. Chileans Miguel Angel and Felipe Atero, world champions who row for Vasco, won the second senior competition, once again putting the club in contention. And then, Vasco won the Senior Four Skiff, reducing the gap to just one point over the Colina club.

In the final event, the debut double sculls, Botafogo took a one-two lead, with Flamengo finishing third. Vasco, which was fourth, couldn't maintain the pace until the end, and with a gap of just one bow, the other red-and-black team took the lead. With this result, Flamengo topped the state championship by just one point.

The remaining race has no set date, as the court's decision is still pending. If Vasco wins the trial, they will be three points ahead (3 to 259), and the championship will be decided in the postponed race. If Flamengo wins, they will be crowned the 256 champion, as their rival would be unable to catch them even if they win the race.

Sports Gazette

Businessman reveals interest from Flamengo, Cruzeiro and Inter in Bolívar

Belo Horizonte (MG) - Defender Bolívar, winner of the 2006 Copa Libertadores with Internacional, could return to Brazilian football in 2008. At least that's what the defender's agent, who is currently playing for Monaco in France, says. Neco Cirne, the agent, says he will be in Belo Horizonte to talk to Cruzeiro, who are also reportedly looking for midfielder Paulo Baier, from Goiás, to play in next year's Copa Libertadores. However, other clubs are also interested in Bolívar.

"I've already spoken with the Flamengo team, and it seems like Inter wants the player. There's a lot of speculation right now. But there's no news for now," Cirne downplays.

Last Saturday, Bolívar's Monaco was defeated by Olympique Marseille in the 17th round of the French Championship and appears in 12th place, with 22 points – 15 less than the leader Lyon.

Espanyol refuses to transfer Jônatas to Flamengo\ Gazeta Press\

Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Flamengo's board has already contacted Espanyol and Jônatas' agent, Eduardo Uram, to secure the midfielder for next season. However, the possibilities became more remote this Sunday, when the Brazilian club was informed that the Spanish club does not intend to loan the player out for free, as the Flamengo club wanted. Espanyol believes the Brazilian could be useful in 2008 and will only accept a negotiation with cash compensation. Another factor that could prevent the negotiation from being finalized is the length of the contract. Espanyol is considering loaning the player for only six months, as they plan to use him in the next European season, which begins in July 2008. The proposal even pleases Flamengo, which intends to have Jônatas for the Copa Libertadores, but agent Eduardo Uram rejects this option.

"Jônatas doesn't like a six-month contract, as it would make his departure from the club as traumatic as his first. It would be a stopgap solution and not in his best interest. We want to negotiate at least a one-year contract. But we'll wait and see how things unfold," commented Uram. Flamengo intends to count on Jônatas to replace Cristian, who is transferring to Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia.

In addition to pursuing Jônatas, the Rubro-Negro club may enter the race to sign Argentine Darío Conca. The midfielder, whose federation rights are tied to River Plate, is on loan to Vasco until the end of the year, but the Argentine club has already announced that it does not intend to extend the loan and will only accept a permanent deal.

The Cruzmaltino team, however, cannot afford to invest at this time, so Conca was offered to Flamengo. However, Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, initially showed no interest in the player and reportedly ignored inquiries from the player's representatives.

In addition to a midfielder, Flamengo is looking for an experienced defender and the name that is in the board's plans is Bolívar, formerly of Internacional and currently at Monaco, in France.

PeléNet

German football's proposal doesn't take Souza away from Flamengo

From UOL Esporte\ In Rio de Janeiro\

Despite not having a great performance for Flamengo this season, Souza has attracted the attention of German football. However, the striker has stated his intention to remain at Gávea for the 2008 season. He is already feeling settled in at the club.

"I have a two-year contract and I don't intend to leave Flamengo. There was this offer from Germany, but I'm happy here," he said, without giving any clues as to which club is interested.

Souza hopes that Rubro-Negro maintains its base so that it can achieve good results not only in the State Championship, but also in the Copa Libertadores da América, which is considered a top priority for the Gávea club.

"It's important to maintain the team, especially because those who are here have proven themselves worthy of the Flamengo shirt," he concluded.

Rodrigo de Souza Cardoso scored 15 goals and was Flamengo's top scorer this season. Six of these were scored in the Brazilian Championship.

Bolívar's situation at Fla should be defined this Wednesday

Raphael Raposo\ In Rio de Janeiro\

Flamengo is waiting for a decision to find out whether it will be able to count on Bolívar for the 2008 season. According to the defender's agent, Reinaldo Pitta, the Rubro-Negro should have an answer this Wednesday.

"There are still some pending issues, but the possibility of the player defending Flamengo is real. There will be a definitive decision on the matter this Wednesday," he stated.

One factor could facilitate Bolívar's arrival in Gávea: His current club, Monaco, in France, has a large number of foreign players on its roster.

"There is this problem of the foreign quota and that may have some kind of influence, but we have to wait a little longer for a definition," he said.

Bolívar watched from the bench as his team was defeated by Olympique de Marseille, 2-0, on Saturday, in the 17th round of the French Championship.

Since arriving in France, the defender has appeared in the Monaco squad 11 times, starting ten of them. He has played 888 minutes and hasn't received a single card.

Inter beat Flamengo and secure 1st place in the U-20 group

From UOL Esporte\In Porto Alegre\

Internacional defeated Flamengo 2-0 early Sunday afternoon in their fourth and final appearance in the first stage of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, confirming their first place in Group 1 with a 100% record. The team was already guaranteed a spot in the second stage of the competition.

Helder, with a header, in the 15th minute of the second half, taking advantage of a cross from the right, in a free kick, opened the scoring, and Fernando Gabriel, with a beautiful shot from outside the area, in the 41st minute, hitting the upper right corner, decreed the final score.

Flamengo, with the defeat, will have to hold on to at least a draw with Náutico, in their last game of the initial phase, on Tuesday, to advance in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship.

Inter, in its great campaign so far, started with a 2-1 victory over Náutico, then thrashed Palmeiras 4-0, continued the streak by winning 1-0 in Paulista on Friday and finally 2-0 this Sunday against Flamengo.

BalloonSport

Four from Brazil among the top seeds

Fla, Flu, São Paulo and Santos will not meet in the first phase, but they could face Raposa

The best placed in the Brasileirão do not meet in the first phase

Four clubs from Brazil and Argentina will be seeded in the group draw for the 2008 Copa Libertadores, which will be held on the 19th in Asunción, Paraguay. São Paulo, Santos, Flamengo, and Fluminense will be the Brazilian teams, while Boca Juniors, Estudiantes de La Plata, San Lorenzo, and River Plate are the highest-ranked teams in Argentina. The decision prevents the regional derbies between Fla-Flu and San Lorenzo from being played in the first phase. As Boca is the defending champion, Arsenal, fifth in the Argentine league, will participate in the draw as usual, as will Cruzeiro and Lanús, should they advance through the Libertadores preliminary round.

The decision was made last week at a meeting in the Paraguayan capital and benefited the countries with the most spots in the competition, five each. The meeting also confirmed the continuation of the competition's format, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the round of 16, where the seedings will be determined based on their overall placing in the first phase.

Three more vacancies filled

Cúcuta, from Colombia, and Ecuadorians Deportivo Cuenca and Olmedo are in the Libertadores

Cúcuta Deportivo played in this year's Libertadores semi-final against Boca Juniors

São Paulo, Santos, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Cruzeiro learned three more potential opponents in the 2008 Copa Libertadores this Sunday. Ecuador's Deportivo Cuenca and Olmedo, as well as Colombia's Cúcuta, will be in the top South American competition next season.

The penultimate round of the Ecuadorian Championship took place this Sunday, with Deportivo Cuenca winning 1-0 against Deportivo Azogues and Olmedo drawing 2-2 against El Nacional. This brings Cuenca to 17 points, Riobamba to 16, leaving them beyond their reach with just one game remaining. LDU, the champions in advance, were already assured.

In Colombia, Cúcuta Deportivo, this year's Libertadores semifinalist, already has a guaranteed spot as the team with the highest points total this season. The club just doesn't know whether it will advance directly to the group stage or to the Libertadores Preliminary Round.

Atlético Nacional, the Apertura champion, is close to securing a spot in the Finalización final, and if they also win the current championship, Cúcuta will be guaranteed a direct spot. This means the third-highest scorer, the unknown Boyacá Chicó, will compete in the competition for the first time in history.

Marcelinho highlights Flamengo's determination

Flamengo's winger celebrates qualifying for the Carioca final. Flamengo seeks its third championship

Marcelinho is the leader of Flamengo in the Rio de Janeiro Basketball Championship

Flamengo took a big step forward this Saturday toward winning its third Rio de Janeiro Men's Basketball Championship. The team from Gávea defeated Liga Macaense (79-78) in the semifinals and qualified for the State Championship final. Forward Marcelinho Machado, the game's top scorer with 21 points, made a point of highlighting Flamengo's grit on the court.

"We're in the final, now we're going to fight for this third championship." Marcelinho Machado, Flamengo winger. "We made a lot of mistakes during the match, and the Macaé team is very good; they took advantage of our mistakes and controlled the score. But the team's heart was worth it; they didn't give up, they fought back from a 12-point lead in the final quarter to win, and our fans, who packed the Gávea stadium, were crucial to that," recalls the Flamengo and Brazilian national team player.

With two wins over the Macaé team in the best-of-three series, Flamengo now awaits the opponent from the other semifinal between Vasco and Fluminense. The Vasco team won the first match 74-67, but the team from Laranjeiras got their revenge this Sunday, winning 87-77. This Monday, December 10th, the two teams face off to decide who will face Flamengo in the final.

Fluminense or Vasco?

Marcelinho knows that the Red-Black team won't have an easy time in the final, whether against Vasco or Fluminense. The winger says the team from Gávea won't waste any time and will already focus on the final playoff, which is scheduled to begin this Wednesday at 20 p.m. at Maracanãzinho.

"That was our second goal. First, we reached the semifinals, now we're in the final, and we only have one day to celebrate because we already need to focus on the finals. Regardless of who the opponent is, it will be a tough series. Fluminense and Vasco are very strong teams, and there's a long history between them. We're in the final, and now we're going to fight for this third championship," says Marcelinho.

U-20: Inter beats Fla, who is still fighting

Colorado has a 100% record in the group and faces Atlético-PR in the quarterfinals

Internacional defeated Flamengo 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Passo D'Areia in Porto Alegre, remaining undefeated in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship (watch below). The goals were scored by Hélder and Leonardo. With the result, the Rio Grande do Sul team reached 12 points, closing the first phase with a 100% record and finishing as the leader of Group 1.

Even with a loss, Flamengo only needs a draw against Náutico in the final round to qualify. In the preliminary round, Timbu and Paulista drew 0-0. The Pernambuco team will only qualify if they beat Rubro-Negro next Wednesday at Passo D'Areia. Palmeiras and Paulista are eliminated.

In the quarterfinals, Colorado's opponent will be Atlético-PR, who finished second in Group 3. Náutico or Flamengo will face Cruzeiro, who finished ahead of Furacão in their group.

Throw

Businessman confirms relationship between Fla and Conca

Hugo de Benedetti says that Kléber Leite, vice president of football, has already been contacted.

Will Conca swap the Maltese Cross for the red and black shirt?

Hugo Perruso RIO DE JANEIRO

Guilherme de Paula RIO DE JANEIRO

A phone call could decide Conca's future. The Argentine midfielder's agent, Hugo de Benedetti, confirmed that he has been offered to Flamengo and is awaiting a call from Flamengo's management to begin negotiations.

According to Hugo, Conca is no longer a Vasco player, as Vasco declined to pay the renewal fee. The Argentine could be a free agent at Gávea to fill the void left by Roger in the team's creative department.

"Right now, Darío doesn't have a contract with anyone. Vasco doesn't have enough money to keep him," Hugo explained, before confirming that the player had been offered to Flamengo.

"Someone close to me in Brazil gave my phone number to Kléber Leite (vice president of football). He hasn't called me yet. We'll see what happens," he added.

The agent said, however, that Conca's future is uncertain. He thanked Vasco for everything he did for the player, but the likelihood is that he will be transferred to another Brazilian club.

"He could still stay at Vasco. But he could also go to Flamengo, Fluminense, São Paulo, or Palmeiras. We're still deciding what's best," said Hugo.

Conca's economic rights belong to River Plate of Argentina. At Vasco, the midfielder received around R$60 per month. To acquire the player on a one-year loan, River asked Palmeiras for US$500 (approximately R$883). For the sale, they asked for US$3 million (approximately R$5,3 million).

According to sources, Kléber Leite has expressed interest in signing the Argentine for the Libertadores, particularly given Roger's departure. Conca, however, is also interested in Fluminense, who have made high offers for him.

This, in fact, is reportedly upsetting the club's executives. They believe the club is overinflating the market.

LANCE! was unable to speak to Kléber Leite, who is traveling.

Joel points out the sectors to be strengthened

Coach says Fla is making an effort to keep Bruno

Flamengo coach Joel Santana has identified the areas where the squad still needs reinforcements for next year's Copa Libertadores. The coach, who led the Brasileirão All-Star Team this Sunday, expects at least three signings.

- We need a player for defense, one for midfield and another for attack - he stated.

Joel is more relaxed in goal. The possibility of goalkeeper Bruno remaining has already excited the coach.

- An effort is being made to keep him. He's a great goalkeeper - he said.

Flamengo's coach showed that he's at least ready for the Copa Libertadores. After lifting the team out of the relegation zone and into the continental competition, he achieved another victory in his career yesterday. Joel coached the Brasileirão's All-Star Team in a friendly against the Olympic Team, and his team won 3-0.

Regarding the possibility of managing the national team, the Flamengo coach was evasive.

- There's no such thing. I just helped at the party - he concluded.

Pitta leads negotiations between Bolívar and Fla

Businessman confirms that defender may be loaned to Mengo

LANCEPRESS!

Businessman Reinaldo Pitta confirmed that Flamengo is interested in signing Bolívar, as reported by LANCE! on Saturday. He is leading the negotiations.

According to Pitta, the defender could be loaned to Rubro-Negro, but it's still too early to know if that will happen. He spoke with Kléber Leite, who reportedly expressed interest in the Monaco player.

"It might happen, it might not. There's definitely a chance, but it's still too early to say it will work out. There are still things that need to be seen," confirmed Pitta, who downplayed Cruzeiro's interest and gave a 50/XNUMX chance of a transfer to Flamengo.

LANCE! has learned that left-back Julio Cesar Moraes, who was at Náutico, could be heading to Monaco. Pitta's company and Cruzeiro share the player's rights equally, and this would have been part of the deal for Bolívar to join Flamengo.

The defender has already told LANCE! that it would be a pleasure to play in the Libertadores for the Gávea club and that he has already spoken with French officials about his release. He has a contract with Monaco until May 2011, but plans to return to Brazil for his two-month-old daughter.

Bolívar, who had been a starter in recent games, was on the bench in the defeat against Olympique, in the French Championship.

Businessman wants Jônatas for a year at Fla

Initially, the midfielder would be loaned to the club for just six months

LANCEPRESS!

Jônatas' signing will only be finalized next week. At least that's the club's board's prediction of future developments. The midfielder has already expressed his desire to return to Flamengo, as he is not being used at Espanyol (ESP).

To make this happen, businessman Eduardo Uram has been conducting negotiations cautiously. His focus is managing Jônatas's career, and a stint at Gávea would be beneficial for him to shine again.

Because of this, the length of the contract negotiated so far will be a new topic in future talks with Spanish officials. Initially, Jônatas' arrival was only for the Copa Libertadores, meaning a six-month contract.

However, this period is considered short for the objectives of the midfielder's return to be achieved in Brazil.

"The six-month solution seems palliative to me. As the player's representative, a longer period would be better. His departure from Flamengo was traumatic when he transferred to Espanyol, and it would happen again if he stayed here for only six months," Uram explained.

Therefore, the solution should be to negotiate a one-year contract. However, Spanish officials are not rushing into the matter and are still considering whether or not to use Jônatas in 2008.

They understand that a free loan is unfeasible and that Flamengo will have to pay for it. The Spanish press reported Flamengo's interest in the player, emphasizing that Jônatas is the only one with the same characteristics as the injured De la Peña.

The seedings for the Libertadores have been defined.

São Paulo, Santos, Fla and Flu do not meet in the first phase, but they can face Raposa

Ibson will lead Flamengo's midfield in the Libertadores

LANCEPRESS!

Brazil and Argentina will once again be the seeded teams in the 2008 Copa Libertadores groups. In the group draw to be held on the 19th in Asunción, Paraguay, São Paulo, Santos, Flamengo and Fluminense will be the Brazilian representatives, while in Argentina the list will be completed by Boca Juniors, Estudiantes, San Lorenzo and River Plate.

The decision prevents the regional derbies (Fla-Flu and San-São) from taking place in the first phase. Since Boca Juniors is the defending champion, Arsenal de Sarandí, fifth among the "hermanos" (Arsenal), will participate in the draw as usual, as will Cruzeiro and Lanús, if they advance past the first phase of the Libertadores. These clubs can still be drawn in the Brazilian or Argentine groups.

The meeting also confirmed the continuation of the competition's format, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the round of 16, which will have the playoffs determined according to their overall placement in the first phase.

Adílio doesn't want Fla thinking about a draw

Even with the defeat to Inter, a draw against Náutico qualifies Fla

LANCEPRESS!

Flamengo's 2-0 loss to Internacional this Sunday, the team's first in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, didn't dampen coach Adílio's spirits. Flamengo is second in Group 1 and faces Náutico next Wednesday, needing a draw to qualify.

However, the red-black coach does not see the team playing for equality.

"Wednesday will be a key game. We'll work to put our best team on the field to win, regardless of whether we only need a draw," he says.

Regarding the defeat to Inter, Adílio believes that the match was resolved by the team that took advantage of the best opportunities in a very balanced duel.

"Today (Sunday), Flamengo had the chance to kill the game. They couldn't, and Internacional took advantage of their chances. In this category, in a balanced championship like this one, whoever takes advantage first wins."