Racing Club de Avellaneda hosts Flamengo for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semi-final today, October 29, 2024, at the Estadio cilindro in Buenos Aires, Argentina.For Flamengo forward Gabriel Barbosa, known as gabigol, the return to Argentina evokes memories of a past triumph.On this Libertadores day, Gabigol reflected on Flamengo’s 2019 Copa Libertadores victory over River Plate, secured at the Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru. The decisive 2-1 win marked Flamengo’s third libertadores title and ended a 38-year drought. “It was an astounding night,” Gabigol said following a training session in buenos Aires. “Winning the Libertadores is the dream of every Brazilian player.”
The 2019 final saw Gabigol score twice in the final minutes, dramatically overturning a 1-0 deficit against River Plate. The goals, arriving in the 89th and 92nd minutes, cemented his status as a club legend and propelled Flamengo to the FIFA Club World Cup. Flamengo would later face Liverpool in the Club World Cup final, losing 1-0 in extra time.
Flamengo’s current campaign aims to recapture that 2019 glory. Having topped Group D, they overcame Olimpia in the round of 16 and then defeated Paranaense in the quarter-finals. A favorable result against Racing Club will set up a potentially decisive second leg in Rio de Janeiro, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Libertadores final and securing a fourth continental title.The winner of the tie will face either Palmeiras or Boca Juniors in the final.
