The first Flamengo–Estudiantes meeting looked nothing like a possession contest: Flamengo had more of the ball, yet Estudiantes kept getting into the box. That makes the return match interesting for a different reason than the scoreless result. Flamengo recently found much better access to the penalty area against Bahia, so the test is whether that approach survives Estudiantes’ pressure on the next ball. I would watch where Flamengo’s shots come from before reading much into its share of possession.
Our provisional stats for the previous meeting show Estudiantes with 16 shots from inside the box to Flamengo’s three, despite Flamengo holding 55% possession. Flamengo then recorded 17 shots from inside the box in its win at Bahia. Those are different opponents, of course; Estudiantes also generated the better chances in the direct meeting without needing most of the ball. What changes when Flamengo host them?
