Brazilian Giant Flamengo Destroys Gremio To Reach Copa Libertadores Final

In 1981 Flamengo last conquered the Copa Libertadores defeating Chile's Cobreloa over 270 minutes. The reward was a match-up with Liverpool in the International Cup to crown the world's best club team. Replete with stars and spearheaded by icon Zico, the Rio club toppled Kenny Daglish and Liverpool 3-0.

Ever since, that consecrated generation has been the benchmark for future Flamengo teams. At a rambunctious Maracana Stadium on Wednesday night the current Flamengo outfit took a step closer to achieving its own greatness and a place in the pantheon of Flamengo gods by demolishing Grêmio 5-0, and 6-1 on aggregate.

In the 80's Flamengo had to see off formidable competition from Santos, Atletico Mineiro and São Paulo to win the domestic title. They did so with a spine of national team players - Leandro, Junior, Tita and Zico.

Today's Flamengo has less competition at home: Palmeiras fell by the wayside and a Jorge Sampaoli-led Santos possesses neither the depth nor the resources to sustain a challenge. The current Flamengo team boasts just two players that have been selected by Tite for Brazil: Bruno Henrique and striker Gabriel Barbosa. National team selection is an indication of the strength and quality of a team. Yet, it is scarcely conclusive.

Gerson, so far overlooked by Tite, is perhaps the best player in the Brazilian league. The midfielder's stats have been reflective of his mesmerizing form so far with a passing accuracy of 92.2% in the league, but his recent excellence is also a personal victory for Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus, who got his number fifteen to play defensively out of possession and as a playmaker with the ball, when previously Gerson failed at Rio rivals Fluminense and with Italian clubs Fiorentina and Roma.

Against Grêmio, Gerson was pitted against Matheus Henrique, the midfield metronome of coach Renato Gaucho's team. His importance to Grêmio cannot be underestimated, but this was a neurotic first half of cagey play, pressing and tight marking in which midfield ballet had no place.

Nerves trumped flair and Grêmio controlled the first half, marking Gerson out of the game. The visitors lurked on the counter, keen to exploit Flamengo's high-line, a feature of the Jesus era with former Manchester City player Pablo Mari perfectly complementing Rodrigo Caio in the heart of Flamengo's defense.

Instead Barbosa and Henrique, the two recent Brazil call-ups, became match winners in emphatic fashion. Two quick goals either side of the interval broke Grêmio's resolve. First, Henrique tapped in a rebound in the 42nd minute before Barbosa's ferocious strike found the roof of the net in the 46th minute. Flamengo was unleashed, and all of a sudden in total control.

Barbosa struck from the penalty spot to ensure Flamengo's progress to the final and turn the second half into a victory march. Together, Barbosa and Henrique have been responsible for nine out of Flamengo's eleven goals in the knockout phase of the Copa Libertadores.

With the match no longer a contest, the fans serenaded 'Mister' again. Central defensive pairing Caio and Mari completed an extraordinary 5-0 scoreline.

The Rio club is just 90 minutes away from lifting the Copa Libertadores and a ticket to the Club World Cup in Qatar, where a rematch with Liverpool could await. They have shown all the credentials to become the best team in South America. Much of the credit must go to their Portuguese coach Jesus, who has revolutionized the team's playing style in a matter of months.

Jesus has modernized Flamengo. His defense plays a high line, his team wants possession and attacks. Those features should be self-evident in modern soccer where the three p's of possession, pressing and positioning are in vogue, but in a Brazilian context they are anything but. For all its success, Brazilian soccer has always been deeply conservative and, at times, very anti-intellectual.

In a way Jesus has rescued the club's identity or at least restored the Flamengo DNA from the 80's. The board, the players and the fans have all bought into his idea of modern, compact soccer. That, more than anything else, is Jesus' biggest victory yet.