Flamengo vs Internacional Prediction: Internacional to give priority to the Copa Libertadores

Internacional picked up a vital win in La Paz this week for the Copa Libertadores. A crossed shot from Enner Valencia in the 16th minute gave goalkeeper Carlos Lampe no chance and was enough to beat Bolívar 1-0. The second leg will be played next week, and Inter has a good chance of reaching the Copa Libertadores semi-finals. Coach Eduardo Coudet will likely prioritize that match and rest his best players against Flamengo. The game in the Bolivian capital was played at altitude, causing the players to suffer. The league is not going well for the Colorado, so the focus will now be on the most important South American competition. Flamengo can take advantage of this factor and is the favorite for this Round 21 match.

A fabulous goal from Gerson in the 94th minute gave Flamengo a miraculous 3-2 win in Curitiba. It was a flattering result for Jorge Sampaoli's team, who played a poor game, especially in the second half, after going into the break in the lead. The Urubu nevertheless isolated themselves in third place in the table, two points behind second-placed Palmeiras. This clash against Internacional is important for Flamengo, who needs to stabilize and calm their fans, unhappy with the club's season. Three points are essential for the team, which has a short but difficult trip to leader Botafogo's stadium in the next round.

The Colorado hasn't won in eight games in the Brasileirão, while its performance at the international level has been excellent. These results reflect the team's different motivation in the Copa Libertadores compared to the league, as mentioned in the Internacional vs Corinthians match prediction for Round 18. In their last Brasileirão match, the Gaúchos lost at home to Fortaleza, who had never beaten Internacional away. The team is now in 14th place and slowly approaching the relegation zone. The priority is the Copa Libertadores, but to neglect the league has some risks. It's clear that Internacional wants to take at least a point from the Maracanã, but it won't be easy in the middle of two more important games.

Flamengo is the favorite for this game, as the team is 100% focused on beating Internacional to stay in the top spots. In Round 2 of the Brasileirão, Internacional won 2-1, so the Cariocas will be looking for a rematch. The Mengão has only lost once at home in the league; it was against the leader, Botafogo. Internacional is unlikely to field its best team, given the Copa Libertadores quarter-final a few days later.