Estudiantes vs Flamengo preview: the only non-Brazilian side left host the favourites
Estudiantes host Flamengo in La Plata in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semi-final, with the return leg in Rio a week later. Estudiantes are the only club from outside Brazil left in the competition; they knocked out Corinthians 2-1 on aggregate, winning the second leg 1-0 in São Paulo. Flamengo beat Independiente del Valle 3-1 on aggregate.
Flamengo lead the Brasileirão by a point, beat Fluminense 1-0 in the Rio derby on Sunday and are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions. Estudiantes have had a harder few weeks: they lost the Supercopa Internacional final 3-1 to Rosario Central and went out of the Copa Argentina to Platense, and have 14 points from 12 games in the Argentine Clausura.
The sides have met four times in the last two years, all in this competition. Flamengo won 1-0 in Rio in the group stage in May after a 1-1 draw in La Plata, and their 2025 quarter-final finished 2-2 on aggregate: 2-1 to Flamengo in Rio and 1-0 to Estudiantes in La Plata.
1 : 1
0 : 2
