The Brazilian Teams That Want to Make It to the Semifinals of the CONMEBOL Libertadores

Three Brazilian teams arrive at the second leg with an advantage, and one will seek to win at home

Three of the four Brazilian teams involved in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Copa Libertadores arrive this week at the decisive match of the series with solid victories, and the fourth, Corinthians, with the peace of mind of deciding at home after a draw in Argentina.

Four Brazilian finalists?

The possibility is not far-fetched given the current situation of the last winner Flamengo, last year's runner-up Palmeiras, the 2023 champion Fluminense, and the 2012 champion Corinthians.

Not for nothing, five of the last six tournament finals have been contested by Brazilian clubs.

The last final not exclusively Brazilian was played on November 4, three years ago, between Fluminense and Boca Juniors, which the entity from the carioca neighborhood of Laranjeiras won 2-1 at the Maracanã.

The 'Flu', led by Marcílio Dias da Silva 'Marcão' after the departure of the Argentine Luis Zubeldía, will travel to the Buenos Aires town of Vicente López to confirm this Tuesday the 2-0 lead achieved in the first leg.

Nonato and the experienced Givanildo Vieira de Souza 'Hulk' sealed an important lead, but the surprising Argentinians, guided from the bench by Martín Palermo, trust in their collective strength to change the adverse history.

The 1-0 harvested in the first leg in Sao Paulo at the expense of Liga de Quito seems like a small advantage for a Palmeiras that will also have to face an invisible rival: the 2,850 meters of altitude of the capital of Ecuador.

The task for Abel Ferreira's 'Verdão' will be double: to ensure that the Quito team, with their solid lineup featuring players like Michael Estrada, Janner Corozo, and the Haitian World Cup player Ricardo Adé, do not overturn their small lead, and also, that the altitude does not knock them out.

On the same Wednesday, Corinthians and Estudiantes de La Plata will have the mission of deciding the most complex series of these quarter-finals.

The 1-1 draw in the first leg in the "City of Diagonals" in Buenos Aires left room for everything to be decided on the pitch at the Neo Química Arena in Sao Paulo, with Fernando Diniz's locals relying on stars like the recently renewed Memphis Depay or Breno Bidon to secure a ticket to the semifinals.

But the 'Pincharrata' won't make it easy for the 'Timão' as they have only lost one away game (1-0 against Flamengo in the group stage) so far in the Libertadores.

At the same altitude as Quito, the current champion Flamengo defeated the Ecuadorian leader Independiente del Valle 0-2. Now the stage moves to Rio de Janeiro.

The Ecuadorians, who have the Uruguayan Joaquín Papa on the bench, will have to demonstrate the sense of the 'Giant Killers' fame they have earned in international tournaments.

The Copa Libertadores final will be played on November 28 in Montevideo. EFE