The Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, is undoubtedly steeped in history. This Wednesday's match will be held there, when Flamengo faces Santos in the 15th round of the Brazilian Championship. As the outright leader, Santos has a good opportunity to widen its gap to second place. With 30 points, depending on results, it could open up a four-point lead. 

In 2009, the year of the sixth title, Flamengo traveled to Santos to face the black and white team from the coast in the 14th round of the Brazilian Championship, amidst a turbulent period. But the victory came, and it was crucial not only for the three points but for everything that led to the finale. You may not know, but the match featured a series of events that we've compiled in this list below, ahead of yet another clash between the teams. 

Flamengo was going through turmoil at the time. Just three days earlier, coach Cuca had resigned, along with the entire football leadership, due to disagreements over the signing of Petkovic. The Serbian didn't play in this match against Santos, but we know he was essential to the title that followed. 

Andrade took over the team and the task of seeking a victory that had been elusive for four rounds. And the team responded. The first half was weak, with Santos dominating but lacking any real excitement. In the final 45 minutes, Santos took the lead. Róbson took a long-range shot and scored the first goal in the 24th minute. 

Adriano took responsibility. The star sought out his opportunities, created the best chances, and was rewarded with the first goal in the 32nd minute. In true style, he picked up the ball in the middle, cut to his left foot, and unleashed a powerful shot. The score was even. 

Flamengo also had an own goal scored by Pará, ten minutes later, and closed with the victory that had not been achieved since 1976, in a friendly at Vila, which also ended 2-1. 

When the ball rolled for that Flamengo vs. Santos match, the Mais Querido reached a milestone never before seen in the Brazilian Championship. They were the first team to reach 1000 games played in the competition. It was a special moment, without a doubt, and further motivation for the team that needed to win. Before the game, Andrade was asked about the milestone and the "taboo" of not winning for so long on that field. His answer was straightforward: taboos exist to be broken. Two milestones in a single game were shattered.

Thirty-three years. A friendly match on July 21, 1976, marked the last time Flamengo had beaten Santos at Vila Belmiro. Every time the teams prepared for the match, this fact was remembered as a source of difficulty for Flamengo. It was. With goals from Luiz Paulo and Vanderlei Luxemburgo, Mengão won the game that would mark the beginning of a 33-year drought that would only end that day. 

The victory was so important in ending the stigma that Flamengo ended up balancing the numbers in that field. Since 2009, they've had two wins, three draws, and two losses. 

On July 24, 2009, Flamengo mourned the farewell of an idol. Zé Carlos, Brazilian champion in 87, the 90 Copa do Brasil champion, and three-time state champion, lost his battle with abdominal cancer at the age of 47. Andrade was his teammate in the 87 Fourth World Cup and was still in mourning when Mengão defeated Santos. He made a point of remembering his friend in his first post-match interview.

Adriano did his part in that game, and it wasn't by chance. The Emperor faced Santos four times and never lost. Even better, he never drew. And in those four victories, he scored in three games. In the only one where he didn't score, he was substituted by someone who did score, so the scent was there, wasn't it?

The first match was the Rio vs. São Paulo match in 2000. The striker had already scored against São Paulo at Morumbi Stadium six days earlier and now faced Santos at Maracanã Stadium. In Petkovic's debut, Adriano didn't score in the 4-1 rout, but he came off for Lucio, who scored the third goal for Santos in the victory. 

His first goal, however, would come later that year. In the Brazilian Championship, in a match played at Maracanã, Denílson crossed and the young man wearing the number 29 jersey rose higher than the defense to open the scoring in a 3-0 victory. It was also his third goal at Maracanã. 

In 2009, the match was rematched at Vila Belmiro. In the return leg, at Maracanã, Flamengo won again, this time 1-0, with another goal from Adriano, very similar to the one from 2000. Léo Moura delivered a perfect cross for Adriano, by now the feared Emperor, to head home, leaving the Santos goalkeeper with no chance. The victory put Flamengo in third place in the championship, paving the way for the title that would come five rounds later. More than 80 fans filled the stadium and created a beautiful mosaic depicting Flamengo's white jersey.