THE BEST OF BRAZIL

The 2025 Copa Libertadores final sees the two best teams in South America go head to head

- Tim Vickery

After 154 matches played since early February, the 66th edition of the Copa Libertadores has boiled down to a final showdown between South America's two outstanding sides of the last few years - teams who are also caught in a duel for the Brazilian league.

The meeting of Flamengo and Palmeiras is a historic occasion. It means that the title will go to Brazil for a seventh consecutive year - an unprecedented period of domination - and that Brazil will pull level with Argentina on 25 Libertadores triumphs apiece. Whoever comes out on top on November 29 will also become the first Brazilian team to win the title four times.

This is heavy stuff, as Palmeiras midfielder Andreas Pereira knows all too well. The former Manchester United and Fulham midfielder still lives in the shadow of four years ago, when these teams met in the 2021 final. Then playing for the other side, his mistake - he was caught in possession deep inside his own half - cost Flamengo the title in a tight game.

What type of game will this one be? There is the evidence of their league meeting in the Maracana in mid-October. Flamengo continued their recent good run of results against Palmeiras with a 3-2 win, leading 3-1 at the interval and only conceding the second deep into stoppage time.