Epic all-Brazilian final: Atlético-MG and Botafogo battle for Libertadores glory

An unprecedented final - Atlético-MG and Botafogo meet in the match that will 'paralyze' Brazil in the 2024 Copa Libertadores. This coming November 30th, these two powerhouse teams will engage in a battle at the Monumental de Núñez stadium in Buenos Aires for South America's most coveted soccer title. This marks Atlético-MG's second shot at a continental final, having captured their first Libertadores title in 2013. Botafogo is back in a Libertadores final for the first time after an unlikely, historic run that began many moons ago in the preliminaries.

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But how did they get to this point? Let's revisit these campaigns, shall we, to understand what brought these two Brazilian forces into Buenos Aires.

Atlético-MG: Stability and Strength in Rear Guard, to Conquer the Vacancy

The road to this final was paved by consistency and solidity in the back for Atlético-MG-particularly in the semifinal matchup with River Plate. In Belo Horizonte, Galo recorded an emphatic 3-0 win in the opening leg to provide some comfort for the final test in Buenos Aires. There, in front of a rabid crowd, the team of Gabriel Milito held River Plate scoreless in a nil-nil draw, assuring a final berth.

Rio took control of the ball throughout the first half, constantly pressuring Atlético-MG. The successive attacks found, however, an obstacle: Everson. An important piece for Galo, being in the goal and making critical saves to become one of the highlights of this match-shutting every attack down. This balance was enough, added to the advantage conquered home, to send Atlético-MG to yet another Libertadores final, 11 years after the title in 2013.

Botafogo: A Test of Resilience and Insistence

While the campaign for Atlético-MG was concrete, that of Botafogo is the story of grit and determination. From the preliminary rounds, Glorioso had been up against tough teams and needed to prove their resilience. The journey started with Bolivia's Aurora, continued with RB Bragantino, opening the doors to the group stage.

During the Knockout Phase, Botafogo went through very tough battles. They overcame Palmeiras and São Paulo, showing that the big confrontations did not frighten them. In the semi-finals, their opponent was Peñarol from Uruguay. During the first game in Rio de Janeiro, Botafogo marked a shocking 5-0 victory and practically sealed it. The loss to Montevideo in the second leg by 3-1 did not deprive them of the spot in the final.

Botafogo's campaign this season in Libertadores is historic in its own right-the club became only the fourth in Libertadores history to reach the final from the Pre-Libertadores phase. In previous seasons, this was achieved by Estudiantes of Argentina, Olimpia of Paraguay, and Independiente del Valle of Ecuador, none with the peculiar flair of a Botafogo now pursuing its first title.

Galo's 2013 Victory and Desire to Repeat It

With the 2024 Libertadores, Atlético-MG has the chance to relive the glory of 2013. That year, Galo, led by Ronaldinho Gaúcho, had won the tournament in exciting fashion, and it was replete with thrilling games and penalty shootouts. The spirit of that team lives in the memories of its fans, and the hope is that today's squad can bring back that joy. With his pragmatic and solid way of playing, Gabriel Milito has built a dependable team ready to face the best teams in South America.

Atlético goes unbeaten into the final, raising their confidence even more with respect to the Buenos Aires duel. With a solid defense and an experienced set of players, this team from Minas Gerais will have a good chance at winning the trophy for the second time and consolidating itself among the elite soccer clubs in the South American continent.

They would want to write this 2024 final in gold on an otherwise up-and-down history. This is a club that, despite its rich tradition, had never reached the final instance of Libertadores before. The semifinals of 1963 and 1973 were the best they could manage, but apparently, they just didn't have that "something extra" that made them reach the big stage.

The current campaign has bucked that trend, pitting Glorioso against Atlético-MG in the ultimate round. For Botafogo's fans, it will be a dream final in Buenos Aires. Every win, every goal scored, and every opponent knocked out has contrived to strengthen the belief that Botafogo was good enough to reach the latter stages with far greater ease. Glorioso has indeed presented a strong team and some talented players in their ranks, such as Thiago Almada, who has proved to be an integral part of the outfit.