Flamengo faces Cruz Azul this Wednesday to dream of a final against PSG at the Intercontinental By Janderson Luiz
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Flamengo starts this Wednesday, December 10th, its campaign at Copa Intercontinental of Fifa, at Doha, at Catar. The Brazilian team, four-time champion of Libertadores after a 1-0 victory over Palmeiras in Lima, faces Cruz Azul, from The match, known as Dérbi das Américas, defines the first step towards a possible final against Paris Saint-Germain, current champion of Champions League.
The clash takes place in the midst of a tight calendar for the Red and Black, who also won the Campeonato Brasileiro and the Supercopa from the The final is scheduled for December 17th, at the same location, with a time to be defined.
Coach Filipe Luís called up 26 players for the trip, including highlights such as Pedro and Luiz Araújo. The team arrives strong, but needs to overcome the wear and tear of an intense season with multiple titles.
- Main reinforcements in the squad: Pedro, with 18 goals in the Libertadores, and Bruno Henrique, scorer of the decisive goal in the continental final.
- Initial opponents: Cruz Azul, third in the Mexican Apertura, and Pyramids, from Egito, winner of the Champions Africana.
- Prize at stake: Pelo minus R$30 million for the champion of
Competition format requires total focus from Flamengo
The Copa Intercontinental, launched in 2024 by the Fifa, replaces the old annual Mundial and brings together continental champions in a compact knockout stage. The European winner goes straight to the final, while representatives from other confederations compete in playoffs.
Flamengo, as a South American, participates in Dérbi of Américas against Cruz Azul. The match takes place on a neutral field, but with fans divided between Brazilians and Mexicans. The winner advances to Copa Challenger against Pyramids, on Saturday, December 13th, at 2pm.
This structure benefits PSG, who only play one match. The French club, coached by Luis Enrique, prioritizes the tournament, but evaluates mixed lineups due to injuries like that of Achraf Hakimi and fatigue of players like Nuno Mendes.
The red-black, on the other hand, uses the moment to test its squad depth. Filipe Luís highlighted the importance of rotation, citing the good performance in recent games.
Red and black preparation for the Dérbi of the Américas
Flamengo landed in Doha on Monday, after a short break after the Brasileirão. Light Treinos focused on ball possession and finishing, with an emphasis on defending against Cruz Azul’s quick counterattacks.
The Mexican team arrives with a calendar advantage: they last played on December 7, against Tigres, and have a rested squad. Sob commanded by Martin Anselmi, the team recorded 12 wins in 18 games in the Apertura, with emphasis on striker Ángel Sepúlveda, who scored 9 goals.
Filipe Luís, in his first international experience as a coach, brought the group together for a virtual press conference. Ele emphasized the cohesion of the team, which won 80% of its games in 2025 with him at the helm.
Internal data shows that Flamengo averages 2.3 goals per match in Libertadores, higher than that of Cruz Azul in Concacaf (1.8). The arbitration, led by an Asian quartet, guarantees neutrality.
Pyramids represents African obstacle at Challenger Cup
Pyramids FC, from Egito, is already in Catar after eliminating Al-Ahli 3-1 in the African-Asian phase. The team, coached by Pitso Mosimane, won the CAF Champions in June with an undefeated campaign, scoring 22 goals in 12 games.
Main athletes include striker Fiston Mayele, with 11 goals in the African competition, and Brazilian Ewerton, a center forward signed for €2 million. The Egyptian club has Saudi investment and plays with high intensity, averaging 58% possession.
The confrontation with the winner of Dérbi takes place on December 13th, with a short break of three days. Isso tests the physical recovery of Flamengo, which used 28 players in Brasileirão.
Season statistics indicate that Pyramids has a solid defense, conceding just 0.7 goals per game in the Egyptian league. Flamengo plans to explore the flanks, where the African team concedes space.
The stage, Ahmad bin Ali, with a capacity of 45 thousand, hosted the 2024 Intercontinental final, won by Real Madrid. Condições climate in Doha, with 25°C at night, favors technical football.
PSG’s strategies for the final in Doha
Paris Saint-Germain, runner-up of the 2025 expanded Mundial after defeat to Chelsea, sees Intercontinental as an opportunity for redemption. The French team won the domestic triple crown and the Champions, with 92 points in the Ligue 1.
Luis Enrique called up 25 athletes, but injuries are a concern: Hakimi out, Mendes and Doué in doubt. The coach considers rotation, prioritizing Champions games against Athletic Bilbao on December 10th and Metz on the 13th.
The squad includes stars such as Ousmane Dembélé, with 18 goals this season, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Champions’s top scorer with 12. Marquinhos, Brazilian captain, has accumulated 39 titles and is aiming for the record.
PSG has a mixed record in global tournaments: third in the Mundial of 2021. Para in the final, they plan to press high, with an average of 65% possession in European games. The travel logistics, from Paris to Doha, last 6 hours.
Recent history boosts red-black ambitions
Flamengo is looking for a second world championship after the title in 2025 against Chelsea. In 2024, Botafogo fell in their debut to Pachuca, but the red-and-black beat Bayern in the group stage of the expanded Mundial.
The Brazilian fans dominate tickets in Doha, with 20 thousand expected. Fifa estimates a global audience of 150 million, higher than the end of 2024.
Filipe Luís praised the unity of the group, which overcame injuries from Arrascaeta and reached the final of The coach is betting on quick counterattacks against PSG.
The Rio club earned R$1.56 billion until September, with R$150 million from the previous Mundial. A victory at Intercontinental adds R$30 million and prestige.
Scenarios for South American advancement in the competition
Winning Cruz Azul guarantees Flamengo Challenger Cup. In case of a draw, extra time and penalties decide, as in the Libertadores final.
Against Pyramids, the red and black team exploited weaknesses in dead balls, where the Egyptian conceded 40% of the goals. Treinos in Doha simulate nighttime heat.
If they advance, the final against PSG tests the maturity of the young squad, with an average age of 26. Histórico of Brazilians against French: 12 wins in 25 games.
Fifa awards extra trophies: Dérbi from Américas and Challenger Cup. Flamengo targets everyone to maximize gains.
The tournament reinforces the global calendar, with Mundial expanded in 2029. Para 2025, the focus is immediate: overcoming stages in Doha.
