The evolving season of the Champions League produces the feeling that English football is beginning to take over the continent of Europe.
With two all-English winners and two finals in the last three years and four English teams already securing their place in the quarter-finals this season, there is no doubt that the Premier League is in a swing that should worry anyone who is not from the kingdom.
A land football monopoly is not a positive thing in a sport that strives for competitiveness, and in South America the trend is the same and even more acute.
Tomorrow (Saturday, 22:00), at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Palmeiras and Flamengo will meet in the Copa Libertadores final at the end of which they will be crowned third Brazilian champion in a row and fourth in the last five years in every second Brazilian final in a row. And as it seems, this is just the beginning.
This is not a coincidence.
Since Boca Juniors and River Plate migrated to Madrid in 2018 to decide who the continental champions have been, Brazilian football has taken over the biggest club factory.
In 2019 Flamengo lifted the trophy, last year it was Palmeiras, and on Saturday they will play against each other in a final that closes a year under exclusive Brazilian control.
Of the eight teams that reached the quarterfinals, five were Brazilians and three went on to halftime.
Beyond that, their power was tremendous.
Flamengo did not lose all the way, Palmeiras suffered one loss in the game that was on the protocol, and even Atletico Mineiro was eliminated in the semi-finals because of away goals and without losing.
In the second factory, the Sudamericana parallel to the Europa League, the final was also all Brazilian and in the end Atletico Paranasa defeated Red Bull 0-1 over Argentino.
For the first time in history, all four teams in both finals come from the same country - Brazil.
Palmiers fans also ready for final, Photo: EPA,
Money, power, talent
This is not a coincidence.
Brazil is not only the largest country on the continent, it is also the richest when it comes to football and currently also the most organized.
"There are very difficult economic management problems in South American football," Amir Sumoji, owner of a consulting firm in Sao Paulo, told PRIMICIAS.
"The fact that teams in Brazil are working properly gives them a very significant advantage."
Palmeiras and Flamengo, for example, bring in a lot of money from sponsors and the sale of young players to Europe, and in addition, like all Brazilian teams, enjoy the TV money.
The big teams of Brazil, the local league, bring in about 8-10 times more than big teams from Argentina, Chile and Colombia from the broadcasting rights.
These economic disparities are reflected in the teams' staff, and in the ability to bring in quality players from Europe.
In recent years, veteran Brazilian teams like Diego Costa, Filippa Louise, David Louise, Danny Alves, Holk and more have come along, alongside unadapted Brazilian players like Andreas Pereira, Kennedy, Bruno Henrique and Thiago Maya.
When you add excellent Argentines like Nacho Fernandez and Matthias Saracho, Uruguayan stars like Georgian de Arescata and procurement players from Colombia, Paraguay and Chile understand why Brazilian teams dominate South America today.
Saturday's final will be a purposeful display of that control. After stabilizing financially by selling youngsters like Vinicius, Pacta, Rainier and Gerson, Flamengo brought in 2019 Portuguese Georges Jesus and brought Brazil offensive and happy football that was lacking In recent years.
Jesus brought the championship and the Copa Libertadores that year and has already returned to Benfica, but the style remains with Renato Gaucho as well.
Gabigol and Bruno Henrique star in the lead, while David Louise is the adult in charge of the attack (yes, yes).
Bruno Henrique (left), Photo: AFP,
Palmeiras is less shiny, but very strong and the one who holds the title.
The Portuguese coach But Pereira relies on veterans like Dudu, Luis Adriano and Felipe Melo, and to them joins talented youngsters.
The team from Sao Paulo relies on more explosive attacks than Flamengo, and a fascinating battle is expected.
Felipe Melo (right), Photo: Getty Images,
Whatever the champion, the big winners of this final are Brazil and the local league - the Braziliro.
The fact that they managed to evade the economic crisis and inject money and proper management into the football clubs created a gap between them and the continent that has become very noticeable in recent years.
The Argentine clubs still lead the table with 25 trophies, but the Brazilian clubs will reach 21 on Saturday and if they continue like this, the gap will close in a few years.
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