Palmeiras joined this Thursday (21) Flamengo and São Paulo as another representative of Brazil in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. At Allianz Parque, the Alviverde team took advantage of the 4-0 win over Universitario, 4-0 in the round of 16, acted at a training pace and confirmed the classification with a 0-0 draw.
In addition to the technical difference between the teams, only an unprecedented feat in the history of the tournament could have taken the team led by Abel Ferreira from the sequence in the knockout. Never a team that opened four goals of advantage in the first confrontation was eliminated in the return game.
To this day, the biggest turn in the history of the competition took place in 2012, when Universidad de Chile reversed a 4-1 against Deportivo Quito. In the return confrontation, the Chileans applied a 6-0 rout and advanced to the quarterfinals. In that edition, the team was eliminated in the semifinal by Boca Juniors, which then starred in the final against Corinthians.
In the next phase, Palmeiras will face River Plate, which eliminated Libertad on penalties also on Thursday.
Brazil, however, could not put four teams among the best eight. Botafogo, current Libertadores champion, fell before LDU. After winning in Rio 1-0, he lost 2-0 in Quito and said goodbye to the tournament.
The Ecuadorian team will now be the opponent of São Paulo, who passed by Atletico Nacional, Colombia.
Flamengo, in turn, will face Estudiantes, from Argentina.
