The years go by and look alike for the Copa Libertadores final. While the return match of the 100% Argentinian final between River Plate and Boca Junior was relocated to Madrid last year, due to violence that had hit Buenos Aires, it is this time the social crisis in Chile that forces the organizers to play the match River Plate - Flamengo in Peru, Saturday, November 23.
Lima, designated at the last minute as the venue of the final, will be the scene of two historic first: the capital of Peru welcomes for the first time the epilogue of the prestigious South American competition, and the final is played this year on a single match.
This reorganization in the emergency also poses a security question. Nearly 20,000 Argentinean and Brazilian fans are expected at the Monumental stadium, an 80,000-seat stadium that is famed for being the scene of violence between supporters of the country's most popular clubs.
The Peruvian authorities reassured him by announcing the deployment of 4,000 police officers for the match and saying that security was "totally guaranteed", according to the police chief of Lima.
Flamengo in search of a new title, 38 years later
On the field side, the final looks pretty open between the defending champions and Brazilians looking for a new title, their last victory in the competition dating back to 1981.
"Flamengo is a serious opponent, as we are for him," said Marcelo Gallardo, who already has two Copa Libertadores as a coach and who could end up at one length of another illustrious Argentine coach, Carlos Bianchi , in case of third success. "We are two good teams, with as many chances of winning as we have similar players and operations."
River Plate however has a little more experience at this stage of the competition: the Argentine club has won four times the Libertadores (in 1986, 1996, 2015 and 2018), against a single victory for the Flamengo of the legendary Brazilian player Zico.
The enthusiasm and jubilation filmed by Brazilian fans before embarking on a long bus trip to reach the Peruvian capital says in any case long enough about their desire to reconnect with their prestigious past.
Relaunched for nearly six months by the arrival of their new coach, the Portuguese Jorge Jesus, Flamengo has lost only two matches in 31 games.
With AFP