For the fourth time in five years, the Copa Libertadores final will feature two Brazilian clubs. This time, in the single-game decision format adopted since 2019, the championship will be resolved in Argentina, in Buenos Aires, at the Monumental de Núñez stadium, starting at 5pm this Saturday (30) – with broadcast on Globo, ESPN, Disney+ and Paramount+.
The duel pits Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo, who prevailed over their opponents in the semifinals. The Belo Horizonte team punished River Plate, who lost the chance to win the title at home. The Rio team resolved their situation quickly, making it 5-0 at Peñarol at Engenhão.
Now, the black and whites meet, in a clash full of previous provocations. They faced each other last week, in the Brazilian Championship, in a match that had no goals, but had a lot of arguments at the Independência stadium, in Belo Horizonte.
The discussions went beyond the final whistle, especially between Luiz Henrique, a standout from Botafogo, and Hulk, a big name from Atlético. The athlete said he heard from a teammate, goalkeeper Matheus Mendes, that the Botafogo native called the Minas Gerais team “weak, a piece of shit…”.
“I’ve had a 20-year career and I’ve never said that a team is a s… Let him learn from his mistake. He has everything it takes to be a great, but first he has to be a great as a person. He hasn’t won any… He has five shots in the national team , I’m seven years old. He has to run like hell”, shouted Hulk.
“Don’t come with moral lessons for me or my players”, replied Portuguese coach Artur Jorge, afterwards.
Days later, Luiz Henrique tried to minimize the situation and cool things down a bit. “I apologize to Hulk, I respect him a lot. He’s a high-level player, as am I too. We have to respect each other on the field. Sometimes, we have our heads full. It’s a matter of apologizing to him and moving on forward,” he declared.
Moving forward means seeking Botafogo’s first title in the Libertadores. General Severiano’s team had never reached the final and is already having its best campaign in the tournament, but obviously wants more. Morale is high after the victory over Palmeiras, away from home, last Tuesday (26), which put the team back in the lead of the Brazilian Championship with two rounds to go.
“We showed that we were never shaken,” said striker Igor Jesus, aware that the fans were worried about the stumbles in the three previous games. “We stayed strong mentally, with everyone supporting each other. We have to keep our feet on the ground and keep fighting.”
Atlético is only tenth in Nacional and is throwing all its chips into the continental dispute. The black and white team from Minas Gerais hasn’t won in any championship for ten games, but they know that one victory, that of Monumental de Núñez, is enough.
The Belo Horizonte team is looking for its second title in the Libertadores. Champion in 2013 with the heroics of goalkeeper Victor – now director of the club –, now trying to lift, under the direction of Argentine Gabriel Milito, the trophy that he lifted with Cuca in charge.
“We have to play the final with a lot of courage, with a lot of confidence,” said Milito, recognizing that the opponent’s production was superior for much of the season. “We know that we need to neutralize their offensive game very well and we also have to generate danger. Let’s go with faith and be convinced that we will win.”
