Brazil rules the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals with four teams, but arrives with cracks showing

There's one number that frames the entire quarterfinal picture: four of the eight remaining teams are Brazilian. Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense and Corinthians are all still standing, as they almost always are. But this time, something feels different. None of them carry the air of invincibility that Palmeiras had, for example, back in 2025, when it went unbeaten through the group stage before being crowned champion against Flamengo in the final.

It's worth being clear from the start: underestimating the Brazilians would be a mistake. They have the financial muscle, the tradition and, above all, the recent titles to remain the top contenders. But something is cracking. And that's no small thing in a tournament where, since 2010, Brazilian clubs have claimed 12 of the last 16 titles and strung together seven straight championships since River Plate broke the streak in 2018.

Flamengo and Palmeiras, giants with cracks

The defending champion reached the round of 16 with an almost flawless group stage, marred only by a 1-1 draw against Estudiantes in La Plata. From there it got past Cruzeiro, though not without some struggle, backed by Agustin Rossi in goal and an attack that remains among the most talented on the continent: Jorge Carrascal, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Nicolas De La Cruz, Samuel Lino and Pedro. The bad news came off the field: the departure of Gonzalo Plata to Dinamo Moscow costs Flamengo one of its most decisive players.

Palmeiras, for its part, had a rockier road than usual. It finished second in its group behind Cerro Porteño, having lost 1-0 at home to the Paraguayan side, and then drew the same opponent again in the round of 16. The first leg in Brazil ended in a tight 1-1, leaving everything up for grabs in Asuncion, where captain Gustavo Gomez of Paraguay came up big to seal qualification with the goal that made it 1-0. It's a roster full of standout individual talent, with Vitor Roque, Jhon Arias and Ramon Sosa among others, but one that has raised doubts as a collective unit.

No longer so scary at home?

Traveling to Brazil was always synonymous with extra suffering: huge pitches, tall grass, heat and a crowd that squeezes the life out of visitors. This time around, though, cracks appeared. Cruzeiro lost 2-1 at home to Universidad Catolica. Independiente Rivadavia, playing in the tournament for the first time, won 2-1 at the Maracana against Fluminense and then held it to a scoreless draw in the round of 16. And Platense beat Corinthians 2-0 right in Sao Paulo. None of those results is enough to call it a collapse, but they do suggest that home field advantage no longer carries the same weight it once did.

On the other side stand the four outsiders dreaming of breaking the streak. Estudiantes de La Plata, with four titles in its history and fond memories of its 2009 triumph, which came in Brazil of all places, faces Corinthians in a matchup with no clear favorite. Independiente del Valle, riding a historic season in Ecuador with a streak of 16 straight wins across all competitions, takes on Flamengo. Liga de Quito, the only Ecuadorian champion of the tournament, back in 2008, will try to pull off an upset against Palmeiras. And Platense, coached by Martin Palermo and playing in its first-ever Copa campaign, squares off with Fluminense after eliminating Coquimbo on penalties.

The path through this edition has already produced one striking detail: all six Brazilian teams that started the tournament made it to the round of 16, just as happened in the previous two editions. The last Brazilian side eliminated before that stage was Corinthians, in 2023. Now, with the four survivors all facing foreign opponents, there's a real chance the semifinals could end up entirely Brazilian. Or maybe, finally, the pie gets sliced up a little differently.