A new Copa do Brasil champion will be crowned on Sunday when Atletico Mineiro host Flamengo in leg two of the final from Arena MRV.
Mengao have the upper hand heading into the deciding game of the tie this weekend, claiming a 3-1 triumph at the Maracana on Sunday.
Match preview
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Mineiro must conjure up something special to reverse their current deficit and lift the Copa do Brasil crown for the first time since 2021.
It is a tall task given their current form, currently on a four-match winless run across all competitions, suffering two successive defeats.
That said, this side put together a 3-0 triumph in an earlier round versus CRB, and they are undefeated at home in the competition this year.
Galo have not won a two-leg affair in this competition after losing the opener since 2017 when they followed up a 3-2 defeat versus Parana in the round of 16 with a 2-0 home triumph against them.
Gabriel Milito's men have come from behind several times in the 2024 Copa do Brasil, earning a positive result when conceding first on three occasions.
Should they turn the tide on Sunday, it would be the third time they lift the trophy, drawing them even with Corinthians for fifth all-time.
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Flamengo are in a strong position to claim the Copa do Brasil title for a fifth time, which would put them in a tie for second alongside Gremio.
They enter this encounter on a five-match unbeaten run across all competitions, defeating Cruzeiro 1-0 in Brasileiro Serie A action on Wednesday.
At the same time, their last defeat was by a 2-0 margin versus Fluminense in October, while their only Copa do Brasil loss this year came away from home in the round of 16 (1-0 versus Palmeiras).
Under Filipe Luis, this side have been airtight defensively in this tournament, conceding just one goal in their last three matches.
Since suffering a 3-2 domestic defeat versus Gremio in September, Urubu have won their last three competitive fixtures when netting multiple times.
They have never lost to Atletico Mineiro at Arena MRV, winning five of the last six meetings against them across all competitions.
Team News
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In this deciding game, Atletico are unlikely to have Cadu available as he is recovering from knee surgery, while Matias Zaracho and Alisson were two of the newcomers who did not feature in their second-leg semi-final tie against Vasco da Gama.
Alan Kardec had the only goal for them in leg one, scoring 10 minutes from the end, shortly after coming on to replace Gustavo Scarpa.
On the Flamengo side, Luiz Araujo is doubtful with a sore knee, Nicolas de la Cruz is unlikely to feature due to a thigh issue and Carlinhos may miss another encounter because of a groin injury.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta put them in front in the early stages of the opening leg before Gabriel Barbosa netted a brace, giving them a nice cushion heading into this contest.
Atletico Mineiro possible starting lineup:
Everson; Lyanco, Battaglia, Alonso; Scarpa, Otavio, Franco, Zaracho; Paulinho, Vargas; Hulk
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Rossi; Franca, Ortiz, Pereira, Sandro; Gerson, Araujo; Varela, De Arrascaeta, Michael; Barbosa
We say: Atletico Mineiro 1-1 Flamengo (Flamengo wins 4-2 on aggregate)
The coaching change at Flamengo has worked out well, as this team are playing with more confidence and poise on the back end, which is why we expect they will maintain their advantage and be crowned champions.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
