Atlético MG and Botafogo show Brazilian supremacy in the Libertadores

Since 2019, when the final of the Copa Libertadores da América began to be played in a single game, Brazilian teams have dominated the tournament, winning all the titles since then. And next Saturday, November 30th, at the Monumental de Núnes Stadium, in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo will face each other to decide who will lift the cup and this time it will be the twenty-fifth time that the Brazilians will win the Libertadores, equaling the Argentines' number of titles.

More vacancies and better structures favor Brazil in the Libertadores

Conmebol decreed an increase in vacancies through the Brasileirão at the end of 2016, transforming the G-4 into G-6; In this case, the fifth and sixth placed teams will go to the Libertadores Qualifiers. With this change, this classification could become a G-9 if by chance the champions of the Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil are part of the classification zone of the Brazilian Championship of the 1st division. The improvement in the financial conditions of Brazilian teams is also another important factor for the strengthening of Brazilian clubs in the Libertadores. Flamengo and Palmeiras began restructuring at the beginning of the previous decade and for this reason both clubs were able to sign high level athletes compared to players from South America and it would not be necessary to sell team assets for any amount.

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_{Monumental de Núnes Stadium, in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, where the Libertadores 2024 final will be held (Photo reproduction: Marcelo Endelli/ Getty Images Embed)}

Brazilian hegemony in the Libertadores began in 2019

In the Libertadores, Brazil is the country that holds the greatest supremacy, winning five titles in a row. This will be the first time in history that Botafogo competes in the Libertadores final; and it will be the second time that Atlético Mineiro will compete in the Libertadores final. The other occasion was in 2013, when Galo won the title by beating Olímpia from Paraguay on penalties 4-3. The sixth title in a row that will be won by a Brazilian team will take place this Saturday, 11/30, in the dispute between Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo, in a match that will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the Monumental de Núnes Stadium at 5pm, Brasília time. The last Libertadores clashes were Flamengo 2×1 River Plate in 2019 at the Monumental Stadium in Peru, Palmeiras 1×0 Santos played in 2020 at Maracanã. In 2021, Palmeiras won the Libertadores again 2-1 over Flamengo at the Centário Stadium, in Montevideo, Uruguay. In 2022, at the Monumental Banco Pichincha Stadium, Guaiaquil in Ecuador, Flamengo beat Athletico Paranaense 1-0. And in 2023, it was Fluminense's turn to lift the cup playing at Maracanã, beating Boca Juniors 2-1 in extra time.

Featured photo: Libertadores Trophy in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Reproduction/ Luis Robayo/Getty Images Embed)