The Mais Querido will know its group in the next edition of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Bridgestone this Wednesday, December 20th. The draw will take place at the CONMEBOL Convention Center in Luque, located in the greater Asunción area, the capital of Paraguay. With the spot secured through direct qualification from the Brazilian Championship, Pot 3 will be the destination of the Rubro-Negro.

Criteria such as each club's performance in the last Copa Libertadores; the historical coefficient, which takes into account each team's entire history in the competition; and performance in the last ten editions of their respective national championships are used to define each pot. Scores are gradually reduced based on the time elapsed for each result analyzed, decreasing by 10% with each year of difference.

Pot 1 is largely composed of Brazilian teams, such as Grêmio, the current CONMEBOL Libertadores title holder Bridgestone; Corinthians, the 2017 national champion; Cruzeiro, the Copa do Brasil winner; and Santos, who overtook runner-up Palmeiras based on the aforementioned criteria. This rules out any of these clubs from being in Flamengo's group. Therefore, from the top tier of qualifiers, only River Plate (ARG), Boca Juniors (ARG), Atlético Nacional (COL), and Peñarol (URU) can be seeded in the red-and-black group.

In pot 2, the only Brazilian will be Palmeiras itself, which will be alongside Universidad de Chile (CHI), Emelec (EQU), Estudiantes (ARG), Cerro Porteño (PAR), Independiente (ARG), Bolívar (BOL) and Libertad (PAR), who could be the opponents of Mais Querido in the group stage.

With their title in the Colombian Clausura tournament, Millionarios are now in the same pot as Flamengo, occupying the last direct spot belonging to Colombia. The other teams are The Strongest (BOL), Colo-Colo (CHI), Racing (ARG), Defensor (URU), Alianza Lima (PER), and Real Garcilaso (PER). Meanwhile, in Pot 4, Atlético Tucumán (ARG), Deportivo Lara (VEN), Delfín (EQU), and Monagas (VEN) are confirmed.

The possibility of another Brazilian club joining Flamengo's group will depend on the results of the pre-Libertadores stage. Vasco and Chapecoense will participate directly in the second stage qualifiers. The Rio de Janeiro team is in the first pot, while the Santa Catarina team is guaranteed a spot in pot two, which will be filled after the initial stage of the continent's most important competition.