It's today, and there's no way out. This Wednesday, at the Maracanã, Flamengo will face Grêmio for a spot in the 2018 Copa do Brasil semifinals, and it promises to be a thrilling affair. The qualifying goal is gone. With the 1-1 draw in Porto Alegre, the winner will secure the spot. A second draw will send the match to penalties. The winner will face the winner of Chapecoense vs. Corinthians in the semifinal. 

For the team with the most wins in the Copa do Brasil, reaching the quarterfinals is a given. Flamengo has a history of reaching this stage and also qualifying. With this current appearance, it now has 21 appearances in the competition's history, dating back to 1989. And since today's match is in the quarterfinals, let's take a look back at the Mais Querido's performance in this stage of the country's main knockout competition. Tune in for another special Buzz Fla. 

1. Participation in the quarterfinals

Not counting 2018, there have been 17 appearances in the quarterfinals. The team advanced in 12 and lost in five. They scored 51 goals and conceded 43. Only in 1998, 2005, 2015, and 2016 did the team fail to reach this stage, falling before the competition. In 1991, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012, Flamengo did not compete in the Copa do Brasil for various regulatory reasons (they did not qualify; they were in the Libertadores...).

 2. The goal scorers

With three goals each, Romário, Nélio, Hernane, and Sávio share the top scorer spot for Flamengo in this stage. Zico, Zinho, Edilson, Thiago Neves, Rodrigo Mendes, Jean, Renato Abreu, Rocha, and Gabriel each scored twice. Nando, Junior, Ailton, Gilberto, Mazinho, Petkovic, Mozart, Fernando Baiano, Fernando, Obina, Jonatas, Emerson, Wanderley, André Santos, Léo Moura, Everton, Cuéllar, Berrío, and Guerrero complete the list of players who have scored for Flamengo in this stage of the competition.

3. Fed up

Mengão's biggest defeat in this stage came against Botafogo in the 2013 edition. With three goals from Hernane, Flamengo defeated their rival 4-0 and secured a spot in the semifinals in the year they would win their third title. In 2006, they suffered another defeat against another black and white team. The victim was Atlético Mineiro in the first match of the competition. Renato Abreu scored twice, Obina, and Jônatas scored in the 4-1 victory over the Minas Gerais team, practically sealing their place in the semifinals in the year of their second title.

By 3-1, Flamengo won twice in this phase, against Vitória, in 2003, at Barradão, goals from Jean (2) and Edílson, and against Internacional, in Rio de Janeiro, in 1996, with goals from Nélio, Romário and Sávio.  

On the other hand, the biggest defeats were both against Santos, in 2000, when the team lost 4-0 at Maracanã and 4-2 at Vila Belmiro.

4. It was bad, but it was good

This 4-2 result is a coincidence in Flamengo's history in the Copa do Brasil. In the first edition, Mengão faced Corinthians in the quarterfinals. At Maracanã, they won 2-0. At Pacaembu, Corinthians managed to win 4-1 and secure the spot. However, Junior pulled one back, and the Red-Blacks advanced on the qualifying goal criterion. 

The same thing happened in 2017. Against Santos, the same scores were achieved in both Rio and São Paulo and once again Flamengo advanced in the competition. 

5. Aha-uhu, the Maraca is ours

Fourteen Copa do Brasil quarterfinal matches have been played at Maracanã. Nine wins, four draws, and only one loss. Still at home, but on other pitches, Flamengo lost to Ceará at Nilton Santos Stadium in 14, won against Bahia in Juiz de Fora (2011), and won against Santos at Ilha do Urubu (1990). In 2017, the team faced Botafogo twice at Maracanã, the first time at home, resulting in a 2013-1 draw. The second time, an unforgettable 1-4 thrashing. See all of their victories at Maracanã below. 

02/08/1989 - Flamengo 2x0 Corinthians - Zico and Nando

30/04/1993 - Flamengo 1x0 Londrina - Nelio 

16/05/1996 - Flamengo 3x1 Internacional - Nelio, Savio and Romario

24/04/1997 - Flamengo 1x0 Internacional - Juan

14/05/1999 - Flamengo 2x1 Palmeiras - Caio and Romario

07/05/2003 - Flamengo 2x1 Vitoria - Fernando Baiano and Fernando

26/04/2006 - Flamengo 4x1 Atlético-MG - Renato Abreu (2), Obina and Jônatas

23/10/2013 - Flamengo 4x0 Botafogo - Hernane (3) and Leo Moura

15/10/2014 - Flamengo 1x0 America-RN - Gabriel

6. Full house

Flamengo's largest crowd in a Copa do Brasil quarterfinal was a 0-0 draw against Internacional on May 13, 05. That night, 2009 fans were at Maracanã. The crowd is also the 53.479th largest in the competition's history and the team's largest in any stage except the final. 

7. Highlander 1

Zinho is the player who has scored the longest in this stage of the season. In the quarterfinals of the 1990 edition, he scored against Bahia at Fonte Nova, the equalizer in a 1-1 draw. Fourteen years later, he scored against Grêmio, also in the quarterfinals, at the old Olímpico Stadium, in a 1-0 victory. In both situations, Flamengo secured a spot in the semifinals. 

8. Highlander 2

Juan is the most experienced player in the current squad. At 39, he has played in five editions of the Copa do Brasil for the Mais Querido and reached the quarterfinals on four occasions. The one that certainly stands out in the memory is 1997. Against Internacional at the Maracanã, Flamengo was playing at a 0-0 draw (they drew 1-1 in Porto Alegre). Just when it seemed the result would be secured, in the 38th minute of the second half, young Juan collected a rebound in the box and scored his first goal for the professional team, qualifying Mengão for the semifinals. An unforgettable moment, without a doubt. 

9. Triple brocade

The only player to score a hat trick for Flamengo in a quarterfinal match, Hernane Brocador reached the milestone in 2013, in the 4-0 rout of Botafogo. It was a truly inspired night for the striker. The scoring spree began in the 19th minute of the first half and doubled its lead in the 33rd. Botafogo was already practically defeated when, in the 12th minute of the second half, he scored another and ran off, signaling the end of the game. There was still time for Léo Moura to score the fourth, but the night was already taken. 

10. It could only be him

Zico played in only one edition of the Copa do Brasil, in 1989. Flamengo reached the semifinals that year, but he didn't play in the second leg against Grêmio, which cost the red-and-black team elimination. "Galinho," however, was a standout for the team in the quarterfinals against Corinthians. He scored one goal in Rio and another in São Paulo, crucial to their qualification.

The match against Corinthians in São Paulo was already his final stretch for Flamengo. Ten games later, the eternal 10 would end his history on the field for his beloved club. The goal he scored against the São Paulo team was his third-to-last in the Manto Sagrado. He would score another against Náutico and his final goal against Fluminense, in his farewell match. As always, Zico was Zico to the end.