Brazil is making its impact felt at the Club World Cup as the group stage draws to a close with all the four Copa Libertadores-winning Brazilian clubs, Flamengo, Palmeiras, Botafogo and Fluminense, making it to the second round. In what has rekindled the hopes of millions of Brazilian fans, the Brazilian clubs are giving a tough time to powerful European clubs.
In fact, Flamengo and Palmeiras have topped their groups. Flamengo beat Chelsea 3-1 to become the first team to reach the knockout rounds. Botafogo, on the other hand, shocked Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Fluminense qualified ranked second in the standings.
“Our first objective was the Round of 16, but that isn’t the end objective,” Fluminense midfielder Jhon Arias said. All four Brazilian clubs have similar expectations.
Botafogo and Palmeiras will clash on Saturday in a game which guarantees at least one Brazilian club a place in the quarterfinals. Flamengo will face Bayern Munich on Sunday and Fluminense will take on Inter Milan on Monday in the other pre-quarterfinal matches involving Brazilian clubs. Corinthians was the last Brazilian club to win the World Club title when they defeated Chelsea in 2012.
The biggest group-stage upset came on June 19 when Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo beat PSG. “Botafogo was the team that best defended against us in the entire season,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said. “They deserved it.”
Brazilian teams are so dominating in South America that they have won the past six editions of the Copa Libertadores, which includes five all-Brazil finals. Their supremacy can also be gauged from the fact that their two Argentinian rivals in the tournament, Boca Juniors and River Plate, did not get through to the knockout stage. The Brazilian league is a big attraction for young footballers from across the region before they shift elsewhere for money and more prestige. But some choose to stay and grow in a tough league outside of Europe with up to six serious contenders for the trophy every year.
Follow us
