Preview: Flamengo vs Estudiantes - prediction, team news, lineups

Flamengo and Estudiantes de La Plata meet on Wednesday evening at the Maracana Stadium in the fifth round of the 2026 Copa Libertadores. Here is everything you need to know, including predictions, key information and match insight.

The contest represents a direct battle for top spot in Group A, with the Rio de Janeiro side stepping onto the pitch knowing victory could secure first place, while the Argentine visitors have the opportunity to climb to the summit with a positive result away from home.

Match preview

Flamengo lead Group A of the Libertadores on seven points, the product of two victories and a 1-1 draw with Estudiantes themselves in La Plata, and need to win at the Maracanã to move closer to securing their place in the next round with some degree of comfort.

Their opponents sit just behind on six points, giving the fixture direct significance in the battle for top spot.

Flamengo arrive at the match as the second-placed side in the Brasileirão on 31 points, but are going through a spell of inconsistency, having won just once in their last five matches across all competitions.

In their most recent draw, against Athletico-PR, they fell behind after ten minutes following a mistake by Rossi and needed Pedro, on 83 minutes, to claim a point away from home.

Pedro is the club's primary attacking weapon this season. The number nine leads the Brasileirão scoring charts with nine goals and has accumulated 17 in 2026 at an average of 0.55 per match — a figure superior to his return in 2025.

Elimination from the Copa do Brasil at the hands of Vitória, following a 2-0 defeat at the Barradão and a 3-2 aggregate loss, ended a ten-match unbeaten run and reduced Flamengo's commitments to two fronts: the Brasileirão and the Libertadores. With four players called up by Ancelotti for the World Cup, the squad faces the challenge of maintaining their level before the season break.

Estudiantes had been leading Zone A of the Argentine Torneo Apertura but were eliminated in the play-offs by Racing, who won 1-0 in La Plata thanks to a Sosa header on 89 minutes. The home defeat exposed a vulnerability that had not been apparent during an eight-match unbeaten run.

In the Libertadores, Estudiantes' campaign has been solid: six points from four matches, including a victory over Cusco FC. The defeat in the domestic knock-out competition, however, raises questions about the side's mental state ahead of the direct confrontation at the Maracanã.

Recent head-to-head records favour Flamengo, who won both of the most recent meetings between the clubs in the 2025 Libertadores, in addition to the 1-1 draw in this edition.

Flamengo Copa Libertadores form:

W W D

Flamengo form (all competitions):

W D D W L D

Estudiantes Copa Libertadores form:

D W D D

Estudiantes form (all competitions):

W D D W D L

Team News

Flamengo arrive for the match at near full strength. The only absentees remain Arrascaeta, Plata and Erick Pulgar, all in the treatment room.

The mood within the squad is also positive following the World Cup call-ups, with Lucas Paquetá, Alex Sandro, Danilo and Léo Pereira all selected and expected to enter the remaining fixtures before the tournament break with added motivation.

On the Estudiantes side, there are no fresh injury concerns and the squad has no suspended players for the fixture.

Joaquín Burgos remains absent for an undisclosed reason, while Arzamendia continues to be ruled out with a cruciate ligament injury, with his return not expected until mid-August.

Flamengo possible starting lineup:

Rossi; Varela (Danilo), Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Evertton Araújo, Jorginho, Carrascal, Lucas Paquetá and Samuel Lino; Pedro. Manager: Leonardo Jardim.

Estudiantes possible starting lineup:

Muslera; Meza, González Pírez, Tomás Palacios and Benedetti; Piovi, Neves, Amondarain, Tiago Palacios (Castro) and Cetré; Carrillo. Manager: Alexander Medina.

We say: Flamengo 1-1 Estudiantes

With both sides going through similar spells of form, the contest points towards a closely fought encounter in which both teams are capable of finding the net. Flamengo have underwhelmed in their last two outings and, with qualification already looking well within reach, may be inclined to manage their squad carefully with Saturday’s meeting against Palmeiras also in mind. A more controlled and pragmatic approach from the hosts would therefore be no surprise.

Estudiantes de La Plata, meanwhile, arrive under pressure after their recent defeat and remain vulnerable to being overtaken by Independiente Medellin in the group standings, increasing the importance of taking something from the match. Even so, the visitors are expected to approach the contest with caution away from home, making a balanced encounter with both teams scoring and a draw the most convincing prediction.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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