Opinion – Sandro Macedo: Maybe it’s time for Libertadores to change its name to Libertadores do Brasil

It is possible that Viktoria Plzen will qualify in the Champions League, in the group with Barcelona, ​​Bayern and Inter Milan; it is possible that Qatar will advance in their group at the World Cup at the end of the year; it is possible that Paulo Sousa will be pardoned by Poland; it is possible that Batman will beat Superman in a one-on-one confrontation in a green gel ring. But it is impossible for Vélez Sarsfield to reverse the 4-0 defeat to Flamengo by Libertadores, at Maracanã, next week.

Therefore, we can nail without any fear of having to make a “erramos” in a future edition of this newspaper: the final of the main tournament on the continent will once again be between Brazilian clubs. On the one hand, Flamengo – which already seems ready to take on new air and compete in the French Championship, with good chances of runner-up, at least. On the other, either Palmeiras or Athletico-PR, without favoritism after Atletico’s victory in the first leg.

And, if by chance the team alviverde from São Paulo win, it will be their third consecutive final, a Portuguese feat for sure. It will also be the third of the red-blacks in four years. Chance of repeating last year’s final.

All very beautiful for those involved, but what about for other countries? Brazilian teams impose themselves in such a way in Libertadores that the competition is almost losing its fun. Or having the same grace as a Copa do Brasil. Perhaps it was time to take advantage of 200 years of Independence and change the name of the tournament to Copa Libertadores do Brasil.

Apparently, the only team on the continent capable of standing up to Brazilians is still River Plate, the last champion of the non-Brazilian continent in the distant year of 2018, in the pre-apocalyptic world, when no one knew what Covid-19 was or who it was. would sit on the iron throne… the one in the series too.

But this year River failed with its internal rivals, losing precisely to the Argentine who faced Flamengo in this semifinal. “Faced” in this case is a figure of speech. Wednesday’s game in Buenos Aires was scary (from a Buenos Aires point of view). They looked like two teams from different divisions, those clashes in the early stages of the Copa do Brasil.

Brazilian teams should continue surfing this continental wave for years to come, unless some genius at Conmebol changes the rules. “Let’s put all Brazilians in the same group and only one passes, so we avoid a final with just them, how about that?”

In Europe a few years ago it looked like England would do something similar, also leveraged by the financial might of Premier League clubs. In the 2000s there were Liverpool (2004 and 2006), Arsenal (2005) and Manchester United and Chelsea (both in the 2007 final).

More recently, the English have also been in four finals in five years, with two home decisions: Liverpool v Tottenham in 2019 and Chelsea v Manchester City in 2021. One difference is that UEFA were never foolish enough to give six, seven, eight spots for the English – another difference is that Real Madrid, Bayern and a few others can also face the English.

In the South American case, the hole is further down. Brazil’s success goes hand in hand with an economic crisis in Argentina that also weakens its football. Uruguayans and Colombians can barely get into this conversation.

But, if nothing happens, soon River and Boca will ask to enter directly in the Sudamericana. There, the title chances increase and the Brazilian rivals are a little more friendly… Just a little.