Medellín vs Flamengo – News and Probable Lineups

Flamengo will journey to Colombia on Friday with the goal of securing a spot in the Copa Libertadores round of 16 as they take on Independiente Medellin, who are currently positioned third in their group.

The team from Rio leads Group A with seven points, and a victory at the Atanasio Girardot would significantly bolster their chances of advancing. However, they faced a setback in their last fixture, drawing 1–1 against Estudiantes in Argentina.

Conversely, the Colombian side Medellin managed a win against Cusco on Thursday, narrowing the gap to the group leaders.

Match overview

As the year reaches its fifth month, Independiente Medellin has experienced a tumultuous season, marked by domestic disappointments for their fans. Their latest low point was a defeat by Aguilas Doradas on Sunday.

That 2–1 loss resulted in their exit in the initial phase of the Torneo Apertura, finishing in 11th place, just two points behind Inter de Bogotá.

Their struggles to convert chances were evident: they enjoyed 70% possession and attempted 20 shots, yet conceded goals to Jorge Rivaldo and Nicolas Lara, only managing to net once through Diego Moreno at the end of stoppage time.

Fans inside the Atanasio Girardot expressed their frustration towards club owner Raul Giraldo Gomez, leading to a heated exchange on the pitch post-match, where he was eventually restrained by players. He later apologized publicly via social media.

To alleviate some of the tension, the club aims for a positive outcome against Flamengo, currently sitting on four points from three matches. Their statistics for 2026 indicate inconsistency: over 26 fixtures, they average 1.31 goals scored and 1.23 conceded per game.

On the other hand, Flamengo played to a draw in their first-leg Classico dos Milhoes in the Brasileiro. After going 2–0 ahead thanks to goals from Pedro and Jorginho, they saw Vasco come back to equalize in the final 13 minutes with strikes from Hugo Moura and Robert Renan.

This result denied them the chance to reduce the gap to Palmeiras—who also dropped points that matchday—leaving the difference at six points. Flamengo remains in second place on the table, with 27 points.

This was their second consecutive draw, following a 1–1 encounter away against Estudiantes in Argentina—where Uruguayan number 10 Arrascaeta sustained a shoulder injury, expected to keep him sidelined until after the World Cup break.

That draw marked the end of Flamengo’s perfect record in Group A, having previously won against Cusco (2–0) and Independiente Medellin (4–1) in their opening two games. Achieving early qualification remains one of Leonardo Jardim’s primary objectives during his initial months at the helm.

This match will be Flamengo’s 31st of the season and their 17th away from home. Their away record shows a 44% success rate, with seven wins, three draws, and six losses—averaging 1.75 goals scored per game on the road.

Team News

Independiente Medellin has a confirmed absence to report: Leider Berrio (knee fracture), who has been out since February after a goalless draw against Liverpool-URU.

Sebastian Botero faces no suspensions and may field the same team that triumphed over Cusco in the previous round. Chaverra and Fydriszewski are likely to be the primary attacking threats for the hosts.

Flamengo arrives in Colombia with three midfielders sidelined: Arrascaeta (shoulder), Paqueta, and Pulgar—all receiving medical treatment, although the latter two are approaching returns.

Forward Wallace Yann is also missing, having been omitted from the traveling squad by the coaching team. However, Carrascal is back from suspension and anticipated to take a position in the midfield.

Independiente Medellin probable starting XI:

Chaux; Mena, Londono, Ortiz, Fabra; Serna, Loboa, Catano; Chaverra, Gonzalez, Fydriszewski

Flamengo probable starting XI:

Rossi; Varela, Ortiz, Pereira, Sandro; ARAÚJO, Jorginho; Plata, Carrascal, Lino; Henry

Jardim’s Flamengo has aimed to control matches with rapid transitions and has scored over 1.5 goals in eight of their last nine fixtures—a trend consistent with Medellin’s performances in the Copa Libertadores.

The Colombian squad conceded four goals in their initial matchup with the Rio side and also faltered at home against Estudiantes. Even in the absence of key players, Flamengo is viewed as strong favourites for a favorable result.