Flamengo come into this match far from their best form. In their last five games the team have only one win, and the reason for that is injuries to their leaders. Throughout the season Jardim has relied on a powerful central midfield, but suddenly lost three key players – De la Cruz, De Arrascaeta and Pulgar.
Now Flamengo may dominate the ball, but they move it forward with great difficulty. A clear example is the match against Athletico Paranaense a couple of days ago, where with 64% possession they managed to hit the target only three times. Their current opponents are no weaker.
Estudiantes de La Plata are excellent when playing on the counter. Firstly, the team have a quality goalkeeper in Fernando Muslera, who this season has saved 78.6% of shots. Secondly, doubled-up flanks and a clearly defined holding midfielder allow them always to have a numerical advantage.
Thus we doubt that Flamengo will justify their status as clear favourites. Odds of around 1.40 are a serious overestimation, and a heavy win should definitely not be expected. Moreover, in the first meeting the sides failed to determine the stronger team (1:1).
