The center of Rio was taken over by Flamengo fans this Sunday morning (30), who faced the strong sun and heat as they waited for the electric trio that will bring the Libertadores champion players.
Before 9 am (Brasília time), Primeiro de Março street was already packed, with red and black people singing the anthem and songs from the stands while trying to secure a place to see the cast. There are fans in marquees, hanging in windows and clustered on sidewalks and corners looking for a privileged view.
On Saturday (29), the team became the first Brazilian club to become four-time champions of the continental tournament, with a 1-0 victory over Palmeiras, scored by Danilo, at the Monumental de Lima, in Peru.
The forecast is for a maximum of 34°C, and the heat was already intense in the late morning. Even so, the excitement remains high, with flags open, families gathered and groups of friends celebrating as if the team were already just a few meters away.
The red and black delegation disembarked at 9:38 am at Galeão International Airport, after leaving Lima, Peru, shortly after midnight. The players travel on an executive bus towards the Center, where they will board the electric trio that will display the fourth Libertadores championship cup.
The planned route is around 850 meters, starting from Primeiro de Março, at Buenos Aires Street, to the vicinity of Araújo Porto Alegre Street, also passing through Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue.
Three sound towers were installed along the route, and the trio will stop at Avenida Almirante Barroso to greet the fans. According to city hall, around 500,000 people are expected.
Mayor Eduardo Paes made an appeal on social media for fans to leave marquees and other structures free while waiting for the players. “Dear Flamengo fans, get off the marquees and other structures that were not made to support this weight. Celebrate responsibly”, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The municipal secretary of Public Order, Marcus Belchior, also reinforced the request on site, using the electric trio’s sound system. He advised the public to leave the marquees and look for safe areas, warning of the risk of accidents due to the large concentration of people and the strong heat.
Since 5am, roads in the region have been closed. Primeiro de Março is blocked between Avenida Presidente Vargas and Rua da Assembleia, while Presidente Antônio Carlos has all lanes closed until Avenida Beira-Mar. Parking has been prohibited since Saturday night (29), and CET-Rio plans to open the roads at 4pm.
Monitoring takes place at the Rio City Hall Operations Center, in Cidade Nova, where 50 operators monitor images from around one hundred cameras and two drones to guide traffic and public movements.
