There and Back Again... A Manager's Tale

[Bilbo Baggins]

Unlucky against Palmeiras, shame given how low in the league they are.

It was very disappointing, I felt we had a chance but will have to wait till next year. They got destroyed by Boca in the final, losing 10-2.

[MTM1977]

Quite tight in the top three, will be interesting rest of season.

Best of luck, hopefully Gremio and Sao Paulo drop points along the way.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Yep, uni holiday so plenty of quality FM time.

Thanks MTM, looks like it might not be our year though as we're starting to slip up.

[Bilbo Baggins]

October

October started with a feisty Fla-Flu that featured a red card for each side. We conceded both of our goals early on and never managed to get back into the match. We dropped silly points in the next match, derailing our title bid and handing the initiative to Sao Paulo. We finally ended our run of six games without a win in the league by hammering Corinthians.

We advanced in the cup and then dropped yet more points in the league, held to a draw by rivals Vasco. The month ended with an exciting 3-2 win over Sao Paulo in the cup.

League Table

With six games left Sao Paulo hold a five point lead and are firmly in the driving seat. We will need them to slip up if we are to have any chance of defending our title.

[HotChocolate]

Shame you slipped up early October but it's never over till the fat lady sings.

[Bilbo Baggins]

She's definitely warming up, Sao Paulo drew and handed us a chance to reduce the gap but we only managed a draw.

Our run in: Sport A (14th), Botafogo A (19th), Atletico Mineiro A (9th), Palmeiras H (6th), CRB H (20th).

And theirs: Vasco A (7th), Cruzeiro A (13th), Palmeiras A (6th), Botafogo H (19th), Atletico Mineiro (9th).

[Bilbo Baggins]

November/December

Cruzeiro dented our slim title hopes by holding us to a draw, denying us the chance to capitalise on Sao Paulo slipping up. In the cup semi final we ended up losing but advanced to the final on away goals. Another nail in our coffin next as we failed to beat Sport. The first leg of the cup final was an even affair with both teams giving as good as they got, ultimately Gremio would go on to get a narrow win.

Next up was an embarrassing 2-1 loss to cellar dwelling Botafogo. We conceded both of our goals late on. Yet another loss next, this time against Atletico Mineiro. Our slim hopes of rallying to win the league had been extinguished. We bounced back to smash Gremio in the second leg of the cup final, atoning for last year's defeat. Gremio, however, were on the verge of sealing the league title and we would've given anything to be in their shoes.

The last match of the month saw us beat our bogey team, Palmeiras, 4-2. We wrapped the season up with a dead rubber win against bottom of the table CRB.

League Table

Ultimately a disappointing season, we failed to live up to expectations in the Copa Libertadores and couldn't defend our league title.

Copa do Brasil Final

[MTM1977]

Sorry to see that the rest of the season didn't go as well as it could have.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Thanks. It's a real shame, our form early on was tremendous but it all fell apart towards the end.

[Dexter_Morgan]

Shame the season ended up on a sour note but hopefully it will Spur you on for next season

[Bilbo Baggins]

Pre-Season 2021

I was, suddenly, a very popular man among the press.

All of the questions related to interest in my players from various clubs. All of the reporters were told in no uncertain terms that none of the players concerned were on the market.

Talisca was the clear winner of the player of the year vote. Unfortunately the adulation of the fans may not be enough to keep him in a Flamengo shirt for much longer, he is unhappy about not being allowed to move to a bigger club (despite not a single offer coming in...) and his contract expires at the end of 2021.

The board were again aiming for a league win. I had a decent budget and decided to hit the market to improve the squad.

Bailly arrived to replace Valdez, whom I was forced to sell near the end of last season when his contract was on the verge of expiring and he wasn't interested in signing a new one. I splashed the cash on an upgrade at LB, bringing in Brazil international Alex Sandro.

Fixtures

Pre-season began with a trip to Japan where we beat Urawa Reds. We then went to Argentina to take on the Big Two, playing out a 4-4 dfaw with Boca and beating River. We finished up with a money-spinning game away to Bayern where we lost out but added over 400k to the coffers.

It's now time for the foregone conclu... I mean, the Rio state championship. *feigns excitement*

[Bilbo Baggins]

Shame the season ended up on a sour note but hopefully it will Spur you on for next season

Thanks, I'm sure it will.

[Bilbo Baggins]

January/February

The state championship began at the end of January with a 5-0 win against Boavista. We then went one better against Volta Redonda. A more credible opponent next in the form of Vasco, we won the match 4-1. Another domestic win before we kicked off our Copa Libertadores campaign with a home win over Atletico Nacional of Colombia. We rounded the month off with three more wins in the state championship, the highlight a 6-0 romp against the delightfully named Duque de Caxias.

March

A crucial clash in the CL against River ended in a 1-1 stalemate. We brushed aside Botafogo before being held to our first draw in the state championship against Fluminense. Talisca scored a sensational goal from a long way out right at the death to claim the three points against Libertad of Paraguay. A 4-0 win next and then a double figures demolition of America. Another big win rounded off the month, 7-0 over Audax.

League Table

With only two points dropped we sit atop the table and are in pole position to claim a spot in the finals.

Copa Libertadores Table

We are progressing well in the group and will sew up our place in the second round with another win.

Chile

After the retirement of the Chile boss I decided to throw my hat into the ring and was chosen to lead the country towards the 2022 World Cup. I got my tenure off to a positive start with a comfortable win over Paraguay but then slipped up in a crucial match against Ecuador.

World Cup Qualifiers Table

Our loss against Ecuador means that they are hot on our heels. We currently occupy the playoff spot and will be looking to overtake Colombia to claim automatic progression to the tournament.

[DavidBeckham]

Smashing form in the league! KUTGW mate!

[MTM1977]

Good luck with the WC qualifying! Who are you still facing on the qualifications?

[Bilbo Baggins]

Thanks, guys. Here's our schedule, MTM: Bolivia H, Canada A (fr), Brazil A, Venezuela H, Colombia H, Peru A.

I just can't resist the lure of international management. Cheekily applied for a couple of the big European jobs (Italy, Spain) after the inevitable Euro 2020 fallout but was naturally laughed out of the room. Chile is a big upgrade on Ghana, definitely should be able to get into the second round.

[Bilbo Baggins]

April

Busy. If there's one word to sum up Flamengo's April run, that is it. We had to navigate ten fixtures, some of them were dead rubbers but things started to heat up towards the end of the month.

In the Copa Libertadores we sealed progression through to the knockout stages with a comfortable win over Libertad. We carried on our rampant form in the state championship, swatting away Resende 9-0. We then travelled to Argentina and put in the best performance of the season thus far, gaining a solid 3-1 victory over River.

We finished up the league phase of the state championship with solid victories, 6-0 and 9-0. It was now time for the semi final, we faced Vasco. The first leg was a cagey affair that we probably didn't deserve to draw, in the end a late goal from Rithley levelled the match heading into the second leg. Two days later we progressed to the final with a 1-0 win, Vasco showing defensive solidity but failing to test our keeper. There would be no Fla-Flu final this year as Botafogo had gotten through.

We wrapped up the CL group stage with another comfortable win. The Maracana was the stage for the first leg of the state championship final against Botafogo. We went ahead just before the half and Botafogo equalised straight afterwards. We got our winner through super sub Baggio in the 74th.

The month ended with a thrilling knockout encounter in the Copa Libertadores, we travelled to Argentina to take on Godoy Cruz. They came flying out of the blocks and had us under pressure early, eventually going ahead in the 13th minute. They added to their lead in the 21st but we managed to pull one back just a minute later. We pulled level as Godoy messed up at the back and conceded an own goal. A quick one-two punch next as we scored two goals in quick succession, putting us ahead 4-2. They managed to reply quickly, scoring to take the score to 4-3 before the break. Seven goals in 39 minutes of football, not bad value if you ask me! The second half was a lot quieter as we were down to ten men following the dismissal of Ramires. We managed to add to our lead to take a 5-3 victory home to Brazil.

Rio State Championship

We wrapped up another undefeated league portion of the state championship, our third in a row. We scored an impressive 80 goals and conceded a mere 4.

Copa Libertadores Group C

A very encouraging group stage as we go through in top spot, undefeated. An improvement on last season.

Rio State Championship Final, 1st Leg

Copa Libertadores Second Round, 1st Leg

[MTM1977]

Thanks guys. Here's our schedule, MTM: Bolivia H, Canada A (fr), Brazil A, Venezuela H, Colombia H, Peru A.

I just can't resist the lure of international management. Cheekily applied for a couple of the big European jobs (Italy, Spain) after the inevitable Euro 2020 fallout but was naturally laughed out of the room. Chile is a big upgrade on Ghana, definitely should be able to get into the second round.

That home match against Colombia will be an interesting one, could play a large part in the final order.

I have never tried international management, but that is on my "list of targets" on my current save. A few good seasons with Benfica could open opportunities. Now i just need to make the good seasons happen

[Bilbo Baggins]

Indeed. We'll be hard pressed to get anything out of the Brazil game. Bolivia is a must win, don't see any problems there given their form. Peru could end up tripping us up, away matches in South American qualifiers are notoriously hard.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Only the Rio state championship, the Brazilian league is yet to begin.

[Vanikain]

Going well so far, I was wondering what Barbosa was upto as I started reading and then the next update you had signed him.

[Bilbo Baggins]

I was delighted to nab him so cheaply, thankfully Real dumped him into their reserves after not really using him. Commands a big wage but more than worth it, easily one of the best players in the league.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Ha, it's a minor annoyance. The calendar is a bit weird but I enjoy it.

[Bilbo Baggins]

May

We wrapped up the Rio State Championship with a comprehensive win over Botafogo. The win is the club's third in a row during my tenure. We then sealed progression through to the Copa Libertadores quarter finals by beating Godoy Cruz 3-1.

The Brazilian league season began with an eight-goal thriller against rivals Atletico Mineiro. Neither team defended well and there was a lot of action, a real end to end affair. Ultimately we dropped points but it was still an interesting way to start the season. We then blitzed Corinthians 4-0 to give us our first win of the season, backing it up with a second string win over newly promoted side Sampaio Correa.

Our continental campaign continued with an impressive win away to Estudiantes in Argentina. Vadala fired us ahead with a close range effort and the half then petered out as neither team seized the initiative. Estudiantes started the second half strongly, pulling level and going ahead, but we then stormed home with three goals in six minutes to put ourselves in a commanding position for the return leg.

We deployed the second string again in the league, getting a decent win against Internacional. Estudiantes couldn't overturn their first leg defeat and ended up going out 6-3 on aggregate. The month ended with an exciting match against defending champions, Mario Menezes' Gremio. We traded goals before the half, going into the break level at one apiece. Gremio then went ahead via the penalty spot in the 52nd before we came back to pull level, also via the penalty spot. In the end it would be a piece of chaotic defending that would decide the match, Vadala put in a cross that didn't find its target but did find its way into the path of the retreating Cesar who promptly bundled the ball into his own net, handing us a narrow win.

League Table

We've made a good start to the season and find ourselves on top of the table, however it's still early days and a number of teams will be looking to challenge for the title. I expect Gremio, Palmeiras and Sao Paulo to be among the front runners.

Copa Libertadores Preview

South America's premier club competition takes a break in June with the semi finals set for early July. Defending champions Boca will take on 2019 champions River Plate in a Buenos Aires grudge match whilst we have been pitted against fellow Brazilian club Sao Paulo.

Rio State Championship Final, 2nd Leg

Copa Libertadores Second Round, 2nd Leg

Copa Libertadores Quarter Final, 1st Leg

Copa Libertadores Quarter Final, 2nd Leg

June Preview

It's time to focus solely on the league, June features a number of interesting matches as we look to atone for last year's late slip up by starting strong this time around. The highlight of the month is undoubtedly the match against Sao Paulo which gives us an early look at our Copa Libertadores semi-final opponents. We have Fla-Flu to navigate and the match against Palmeiras will no doubt be a tough one.

[Bilbo Baggins]

June

The month began with a disastrous result against Bahia. I decided to rotate the squad and paid the price as my second stringers failed to cope with the opposition's attack. The match against Sao Paulo was a cagey affair and ended 1-1, both goals came early on in the first half.

We then put in a solid performance in Fla-Flu, hammering our opponents and notching up an impressive victory. I was unable to take charge of the next two fixtures as I was away in Canada managing Chile. My assistant lead the team to a loss against Santos and a win against Cruzeiro.

Upon my return I was greeted with some disappointing news.

A whole host of my best players would be missing both legs of the Copa Libertadores semi final due to participation in the Confederations Cup. I had no means to withdraw them from selection. It's fair to say that I was livid. Acosta then managed to put himself on the injury table for three weeks ruling him out of the double header as well, yet another headache. Navigating the tie will be very, very tough. As my second strong winger Marquinhos is out injured I will have no right wingers available and will be forced to alter my formation.

We then put in a poor performance against America, losing. We wrapped up the month with a solid win against Palmeiras but my thoughts were very much on the near future.

League Table

As the league season hits the third of the way point we find ourselves five points off the pace.

July Preview

The fixture list has thinned out significantly for July, with only two league fixtures to deal with. The Copa Libertadores is, however, all we really care about.

Chile

We got a solid if unspectacular win against Bolivia before travelling to 2026 World Cup hosts Canada for a friendly.

World Cup Qualifiers Table

With Colombia being held to a draw by Paraguay we have gained on them and are very much in the hunt for an automatic qualification spot. Next up... Brazil.

[Bilbo Baggins]

July... Part 1

The match was upon us. Sao Paulo away. Copa Libertadores semi final. With a host of key players plying their trade at the Confederations Cup and a couple on the treatment table I was full of nerves. Rather than changing my formation to account for my lack of natural right wingers I decided to keep things the same but throw Taison, a natural left winger with a rating of 'average' on the right, into the fray. We suffered another blow on the eve of the match as my first choice right back, Wallace, twisted his ankle. With my second choice right back also out injured I was forced to throw on my third choice right back, Wallace. The, er, second. I have two Wallaces. The second Wallace, however, isn't even a natural right back and had hardly featured in my campaign thus far.

The match was disastrous. We were insipid, shaky at the back and incapable of creating anything going forward. Sao Paulo shocked us by scoring in the 3rd minute and dominated proceedings from that point onwards, adding a second goal after half time.

Copa Libertadores Semi Final, 1st Leg

I was heartbroken. Given the manner of our performance I held little hope of turning things around in the second leg. Our second string central midfield of Neto and Caio couldn't retain possession or spark swift transitions in the manner of Rami and Leiva. Without Barbosa and Vadala up front we looked toothless. I felt that the Confederations Cup had stolen my shot at Copa Libertadores glory. And then...

[video=youtube;cW5vZFZ0A5Q]

In one of the most remarkable turnarounds I have ever witnessed in FM our team shot out of the blocks and absolutely tore Sao Paulo apart in the space of a half. Taison fired us ahead in the 3rd, we then went on to score four in the space of 15 minutes and went into half time 5-0 up. I was gob smacked. We added a sixth goal, conceded, and then right at the death put a cherry on top of the cake by scoring our seventh from a set piece.

Copa Libertadores Semi Final, 2nd Leg

7-1, a monumental result that puts us through to only the second Copa Libertadores final in the club's history.

We will be up against a fantastic Boca side who are looking to defend their title. It will be a tough, tough final. Two legs of magic, I think. Let's just hope that we can emulate the golden generation of Zico and co by going on to claim the trophy!

[Bilbo Baggins]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the BBC's live blog of the 2021 Copa Libertadores Final, 1st leg. I'm Tim Vickery, the BBC's South American Football correspondent, and I'll be covering the match tonight live.

We've got a fantastic final on our hands as defending champions Boca Juniors under Antonio Mohamed take on the emerging force of Dylan McKee's Flamengo. First up, let's tale a look at the two managers. Mohamed has been in charge of Boca since July 2018, during his time at the helm the club have won three Argentine league titles, one Argentine Super Cup, one Argentine Cup and, of course, one Copa Libertadores after their triumph last year over Palmeiras. They have also claimed a Copa Sudamericana.

McKee has been in charge of Flamengo since August of 2018. During his tenure Flamengo have won three Rio State Championships, one Brazilian league and one Brazilian Cup.

Now, a look at the history of the two teams in the competition. Boca are the most successful side in the competition's history, having won it an impressive nine times. Seven of these wins have come in the 21st century, with the club recently claiming back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017 and another title in 2020. Flamengo, by contrast, have only won the competition once all the way back in 1981.

Boca's run to the final has seen them overcome Independiente, Santos and River whilst Flamengo have beaten Godoy Cruz, Estudiantes and Sao Paulo. The highlight for Boca was their 6-1 aggregate semi final win over River whilst the highlight for Flamengo was their 7-3 aggregate semi final win over Sao Paulo. Boca are seen as favourites for the final but many pundits are predicting an even affair as both teams feature talented footballers. The final should be a lot closer than last year's win for Boca, 10-2 on aggregate over Palmeiras.

The first leg takes place tonight at Boca's stadium in Buenos Aires, 'La Bombonera', with kickoff scheduled for 21:00 local time. The return leg takes place in a week's time in Rio at the Maracana.

Now that we've got the introductions out of the way it's time to settle in for ninety minutes of thrills and spills in South America's most important club competition. I hope you enjoy the action.

-10. For anyone interested in getting a bet on the bookies have Boca as evens favourites, a draw is priced at 11-5 and Flamengo are at 11-5.

-5. The lineups are in. Rumours that Flamengo left back Alex Sandro failed a late fitness test have been confirmed, Emerson starts in his place. Other than that Flamengo's starting XI is largely as expected. Boca's star striker Araujo is a casualty, missing the match with a twisted knee.

-3. Boca lineup in their standard 3-4-1-2 formation, whilst Flamengo deploy their standard 4-2-3-1. No big surprises, two contrasting tactics but both are very much geared around attacking. We could see a real thriller here.

-2. The teams have emerged from the tunnel and lined up in the centre of the pitch. The Copa Libertadores anthem is blaring but it is being drowned out by the tremendous cacophony of sound being created by the Boca supporters, who have unveiled a huge banner featuring the Copa Libertadores and the number '10'.

[video=youtube;AZVsV_GpVwU]

-1. Juan Forlin and Paulo Victor exchange pennants in the centre circle. Boca win the toss and elect to kick off.

0. And we're off.

10. Goal! 1-0. Boca score against the run of play to take a 1-0 lead. Carrillo is the man of the moment, after defending a Flamengo corner Boca go right down the other end and break through.

11. Goal! 1-1. Instant replay from Flamengo, straight from kickoff they send the ball wide to Barbosa who promptly powers his way down the right wing before delivering a cross to Vadala who coolly slots it away. An incredible start to this final.

13. Goal! 1-2. Tremendous, Taison scores to send Flamengo into the lead. We're off to a ripping start here as Flamengo are piling on the pressure and making it count. A Flamengo corner came to nothing but the ball ended up with Talisca. He advanced on Boca's box, laying it off to Vadala who looked to get an angle but couldn't. Taison was lurking on the edge of the box and Vadala played it back to him. Taison then made his way into the box before beating a couple of defenders and unleashing a powerful shot that buried itself in the bottom left-hand corner.

16. Goal! 2-2. It just keeps getting better. Boca pull level as Di Santo breaks the offside trap. A long ball from deep found him and he used his pace to burst past Kongolo who had misjudged the ball. One on one with the keeper he finished with a powerful effort.

20. Boca look in the ascendancy but Flamengo are defending well. Kongolo has won several aerial challenges and his mistake that lead to Boca's equaliser doesn't seem to have phased him.

21. Drama at the other end, Flamengo break forward and Allione brings down Taison inside the box. Flamengo appeal for the penalty but the referee is having none of it. Allione seems to have picked up a knock during the challenge, Flamengo have a corner.

26. Boca stream forward in attack but the move comes to nothing as Di Santo shoots well wide. The match seems to be settling down a bit now, both teams are looking more competent defensively but the pace is still intense. Boca edge possession but Flamengo look dangerous on the break.

29. Boca's Carizzo appears to have picked up a minor injury. He's soldiering on, for now.

35. Great chance for Flamengo after a set piece breaks down, ultimately Barbosa shoots just wide.

38. Goal! 2-3. Flamengo pull ahead. A Talisca free kick from just outside the box hits the post. The rebound falls to Jose Igor who heads the ball past Sara and into the back of the net. Fantastic action here.

42. Boca push forward and bear down on Flamengo's box. Successive corners come to nothing but they're looking strong.

45+1. Goal! 2-4. Just before the break Flamengo score, a fantastic counter attack. Emerson launched a long ball down the left flank that ended up finding Vadala in the box. Vadala controlled it, turned, and slotted it past the keeper from close range. A crucial goal for Flamengo.

Half time. It's been a thrilling game of football so far, both teams have scored fantastic goals but it's Flamengo who go in ahead. Boca have had a slight edge in possession but Flamengo have had twice as many shots on target. The pre-match favourites will need to come back strongly in the second half.

45. The second half begins. Neither team has made any substitutions.

49. Goal! 3-4. Boca's Di Santo fires home a crucial goal. Boca get forward early and put pressure on Flamengo's defence, passing the ball short around the box. Flamengo make a couple of good tackles but Boca win the ball back and Di Santo finds a way through to score from close range. Just the start to the half that Boca needed.

52. Goal! 4-4. Boca hit Flamengo on the counter and Di Santo pops up to level the match. Carizzo played a fantastic ball over the shoulder of Bailly which found Di Santo. One on one with the keeper there was only ever going to be one outcome. Boca have fought back to level the match.

57. The post denies Taison. Flamengo push forward in search of a fifth but Boca are holding their own at the back, defending well. Taison is unlucky to hit the woodwork.

63. Di Santo gets a shot on target but Paulo Victor comes up with a good save. Boca push forward for the corner.

67. A tactical change from the Flamengo manager, Talisca drops back into central midfield whilst Igor takes the #10 role. Still no action on the bench at this stage, however.

69. Kongolo spurns a chance to put Flamengo ahead, after an attacking corner a rebound fell to him but he shot wide from close range. A huge chance goes begging.

75. Victor comes to the rescue for Flamengo, a tremendous save prevents Correa from finding the back of the net.

76. Two changes for Flamengo, Aparicio replaces Kongolo at the back whilst Caio replaces Taison. Caio moves to central midfield with Talisca taking up Taison's role wide left.

77. Another crucial Victor save, Boca are knocking on the door. Boca have a corner but can't create anything from it as the Flamengo defence clear the ball easily enough.

78. Final throw of the dice for the Flamengo manager, he replaces Igor with striker Douglas Baggio. Baggio moves up front with Vadala dropping into the hole.

85. Sara comes to the rescue for Boca, saving a powerful Baggio shot. Flamengo have had a number of chances here in the latter stages of the match but Boca look solid at the back.

90+2. Goal! 4-5. Flamengo score right at the death to claim the win. Left back Emerson the unlikely hero. An attacking throw in deep in Boca territory, Wallace threw the ball in to Baggio who delivered a cross to Vadala. The ball failed to find its intended recipient but the rebound fell to the onrushing Emerson who smashed it into the lower right corner. Right at the death, unbelievable scenes at the Bombonera.

Full time. Well, folks, a tremendous first leg that exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic pundits. We knew that both teams would look to attack but didn't expect a game of this quality. The first 17 minutes admittedly featured some shoddy defending as the game went end to end at a barnstorming pace but the quality of the attackers really shone through throughout the match. Not a single card and no controversial incidents to sour things, instead we were treated to a real match for the purists.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Good evening, folks, and welcome to the BBC's live blog for the second leg of the 2021 Copa Libertadores final between Boca Juniors of Argentina and Flamengo of Brazil. I'm Tim Vickery, BBC correspondent, and I'll be guiding you through all of the action. The first leg was a real cracker which ended 4-5 in favour of the visitors, Flamengo.

-4. We're all set for a fantastic evening of football here in Rio at the Maracana. Let's take a look at the lineups.

Boca's Di Santo has been moved to the wing to accommodate Araujo, who returns from injury. Alex Sandro returns for Flamengo.

-2. The players shake hands and prepare for kickoff. The atmosphere is electric, a sea of red and black surrounds the pitch.

-1. The captains exchange pennants. Flamengo win the toss and elect to kickoff.

0. And we're off.

5. Early chance for Boca as Araujo unleashes a shot on goal but Victor saves it easily enough.

8. Goal! 1-0 (6-4). Flamengo go ahead early as Vadala scores a cracking goal, he dropped deep to receive a ball from Talisca before turning and unleashing a shot from distance. The ball nestled itself into the top right hand corner of the net.

15. Boca are looking to pull level and have a corner after a good period of attacking play. Their set piece execution is lacking, however, as the ball is plucked out of mid air by Flamengo keeper Victor.

24. A great chance for Boca but Di Santo shoots wide. Boca are looking dangerous as they break quickly.

30. Goal! 2-0 (7-4). Taison adds to Flamengo's lead. He burst down the left flank, beating his man, and then headed towards goal. He beat the keeper with a cheeky lob from the edge of the box. Flamengo are taking control here.

36. Goal! 2-1 (7-5). A sliver of hope for Boca as Carrillo scores. A Boca free kick from some distance ended up hitting the woodwork, the rebound fell to Carrillo and he slotted the ball home calmly.

43. Flamengo look in control and are having the better chances. Boca can't seem to catch a break as an appeal for a penalty is turned down.

45+1. Goal! 3-1 (8-5). Taison scores a fluky goal but they all count. It looked as if he overhit a cross as he tried to find Vadala. The ball instead beat the keeper and found its way into the back of the net.

Half time. Flamengo are looking good for the win as things stand but Boca aren't out yet. Mohamed will have to get his players fired up in the changing rooms as they need to start the second half aggressively and look to score early.

52. Flamengo have started the second half well and look in control of the match. Boca are managing to break occasionally but the Flamengo back four is looking impervious at the moment.

59. Brundo brings down Vadala in the box, leading to appeals for a penalty. The referee errs on the side of caution and doesn't give one.

66. Di Santo misses a sitter as a Boca corner finds him in the box. He should have scored easily but he pokes the ball wide.

68. Substitution for Flamengo, Baggio replaces a tired-looking Vadala up top.

70. Goal! 4-1 (9-5). And that surely settles it, an immediate impact from Baggio as he uses his pace to break the offside trap and get one on one with the keeper after being threaded through by a brilliant Leiva pass. A powerful shot ends up beating the keeper.

79. Boca look bereft of confidence as they know that their chances of defending the Copa Libertadores have evaporated. Chants of 'ole' from the crowd as Flamengo play it short and safe, looking to wind down the clock.

85. Talisca very nearly scores from a free kick but the keeper pulls a fantastic save out of the bag to deny him.

90+1. Goal! 5-1 (10-5). Talisca notches up his hat trick as Flamengo add insult to injury. He broke down the left wing before cutting in and bearing down on goal. He rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home.

Full time. Flamengo celebrate their first Copa Libertadores triumph since 1981. The atmosphere is electric as the players climb the steps to collect the trophy. Flamengo boss McKee hasn't joined them, however, he's down on the sidelines chatting with Zico. Paulo Victor lifts the trophy and the stadium erupts.

Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that after such an even first leg. Boca just didn't show up on the day and Flamengo fully deserve their impressive victory, 10-5 on aggregate. The partying in Rio will go on long into the morning.

[Bilbo Baggins]

July

A fantastic month as we claim the Copa Libertadores for just the second time in the club's history.

We set a new record for goals scored over the course of the tournament.

Club legend Zico was delighted with our achievement.

In the league we dropped points with two draws as I rested players before and after the final.

League Table

We currently sit in 4th place, five points off the top of the table.

August Preview

A busy month in the league, the highlights being the derby against Vasco and the match against rivals Atletico Mineiro. Our Copa do Brasil defence begins with a double header against Cruzeiro.

A few inductees to Thorin's company. Club captain and veteran stopper Paulo Victor shall be Gloin, the talented Barbosa shall be Balin and Vadala shall be Dwalin.

[Vanikain]

Congrats on the win and amazing first leg that was but didn't hold back in the second one bit.

[MTM1977]

Nice work with the Copa! Very impressive comeback in the semis.

[Zeonflux]

Great work Bilbo and what a team you've got at Flamengo

[Bilbo Baggins]

August

A decent month, although we dropped four points in the league. Vadala's performance against Atletico Mineiro was a highlight.

September

A sub par month as we slip up against Gremio and also fail to beat Cruzeiro.

October

A good run of form but the slip up against Sport may prove costly.

League Table

With five games to go we sit 2nd, seven points behind league leaders Vasco. We are relying on them to drop points.

November/December Preview

After our big first leg win the match against Sao Paulo is a bit of a dead rubber. We will be hoping to beat Vasco to put them under a bit of pressure but we require a huge slice of luck if we are to go on and claim the title.

Chile

After a rather lacklustre performance and loss against Brazil we rebounded to get a crucial wins over Venezuela and Colombia. We very nearly threw our automatic qualification spot away but a late goal saved our blushes against Peru, sending us through to the World Cup without having to negotiate a playoff.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Congrats on the win and amazing first leg that was but didn't hold back in the second one bit.

Thanks. The first leg was thrilling, wasn't expecting such an easy ride in the second.

Nice work with the Copa! Very impressive comeback in the semis.

Cheers, I was delighted with the comeback as I thought we'd blown our chances.

Great work Bilbo and what a team you've got at Flamengo

Thanks. It's a solid team but a little bit inconsistent in the league, unfortunately. Given the journeyman nature of the save this will be my last season at the helm.

[Bilbo Baggins]

November/December

A 7-0 win confirmed our place in the Copa do Brasil final, in which we would play fierce rivals Fluminense. A draw put us further back in the league race and we then lost the first leg of the cup final.

We beat Avai but then lost to champions elect Vasco, our slim title hopes had been snuffed out. We were then beaten in the second leg of the cup final, a disappointing result in my last Fla-Flu.

We wrapped up the league campaign with two more wins and then travelled to Japan for the Club World Cup. We breezed through the semi and then demolished Napoli in the final to claim the trophy, a fitting way to finish the season.

It was then time to bring my time at Flamengo to an end.

League Table

We managed to notch up a better points total than last year but finished well off the pace, six points behind champions Vasco.

Copa do Brasil Final, 1st Leg

Copa do Brasil Final, 2nd Leg

FIFA Club World Cup Final

Chile

To say that the draw for the World Cup has been unkind would be a massive understatement. We've been handed a very, very tough group.

[Dexter_Morgan]

Any idea where you'd like to go next?

[Bilbo Baggins]

I've had a couple of ideas in the wake of the World Cup. I very nearly joined Sporting CP but I'm determined to try and complete the other legs of the pentagon before I take a job in Europe so I turned them down. I'm on the verge of signing up with a new club...

[Vanikain]

Unlucky not to finish with the league but overall a huge success at Flamengo, horrible group for the world cup but think you could possibly scrape through.

Look forward to seeing what clubs next.

[Bilbo Baggins]

World Cup 2022 - Chile

The World Cup. The pinnacle of international football. I was determined to go one better than last time with Ghana and get Chile through to the second round, despite the tough task facing us. Our first match was against Frank de Boer's Italy.

We went ahead early but Italy roared back and went on to dominate the match. Not the start I had in mind.

We put in a far better performance in our match against Mexico but somehow failed to come away with the win. Our defending let us down big time, consigning us to a World Cup exit unless Italy beat Mexico and we could somehow manage to demolish Holland to get our GD up.

Holland comfortably beat us. Not much more to say, really.

It was time for the inevitable.

There were some big surprises in the group stage as Brazil, Germany and Portugal all exited early.

Holland claim their first World Cup with Rafa Benitez at the helm. So yes, Chile had a dire World Cup, but in our defence we were in the same group as the two finalists. I was also delighted to see New Zealand, managed by my old mate Anthony Hudson, get a point against Brazil. Quality.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Unlucky not to finish with the league but overall a huge success at Flamengo, horrible group for the world cup but think you could possibly scrape through.

Look forward to seeing what clubs next.

Cheers. I was a bit annoyed about not getting another league title but 1 in 3 seasons wasn't a bad strike rate. Vasco were just too good for us. The World Cup group proved to be brutal, I didn't really fancy our chances and we ended uo getting a couple of pastings.

Just prepping the new club update now, have already gotten through pre-season, transfer window, etc.

[MTM1977]

Tough luck with the world cup group.

Interesting to see where you end up next.

[Zeonflux]

Shame about the world cup but i'd be ok with going out if i was in the same group as the eventual finalists.......England going out to Sweden is a tad annoying though

[Bilbo Baggins]

***moved***

[Bilbo Baggins]

Tough luck with the world cup group.

Interesting to see where you end up next.

Thanks, it was indeed a tough group. Fingers crossed I get an easier one if I'm involved in Canada 2026... which I no doubt will be!

Shame about the world cup but i'd be ok with going out if i was in the same group as the eventual finalists.......England going out to Sweden is a tad annoying though

Thanks. My main gripe is with our performance in the Mexico match, should've converted that dominance into a victory. Then I could've opted for a counter attacking strategy against Holland and hoped for a plucky point. Oh well, no regrets!

[Vanikain]

Well at least you wont be bored with the view anytime soon, seems to be a really good move and some good transfers for the price you paid.

[HotChocolate]

Best of luck at Monterrey.

Where's Jack though?

[Bilbo Baggins]

Best of luck at Monterrey.

Where's Jack though?

Jack? Enlighten me!

edit: Ah, cheese. Cheeky devil!

[Bilbo Baggins]

Well at least you wont be bored with the view anytime soon, seems to be a really good move and some good transfers for the price you paid.

It's certainly a stunning view. I think I'm going to enjoy Mexico, the half and half structure of the league really appeals to me and the challenge of trying to win the North American CL and Copa Libertadores in one season is something I'd love to try and complete.

Weird stadium picture (painting?), reminds me of the Gazprom advert that they play here every advert break during the UCL.

Enjoy Mexico, will be interesting to see how different you find it to Brazil.

Here's the actual view, still under construction irl so the stadium image pack I downloaded a few years ago only had artwork to go on.

Here's a skyscraper city thread with further info if you're interested.

And here's some blatant stadium prn.

[video=youtube;-72TqJi4dKI]

It's a great stadium, really state of the art. I'm a lucky manager moving from the historic Maracana into this modern beauty. Next up I want a Spartan, brutalist bowl in China!

*dragging this update over to page two*

Brief Unemployed Spell...

So, unemployment. Do I 'do a Pep' and move to New York for a year-long sabbatical? Or do I search like a desperate madman for a new job, any job. Well, somewhere between the two. I wanted a new club but was prepared to wait for the right project to come along, even if that meant missing half a season. Fortunately an offer came along in a country that was at the top of my 'to manage in' list.

Mexico appeals for a number of reasons. Chance to compete for both the North American Champions League and the Copa Libertadores. No restrictive MLS rules or salary caps to worry about. I had, years ago, interviewed for the Chivas job on two occasions. I was unsuccessful the first time but was offered the job the second time around a year later. I decided to turn the job down and stick with Flamengo. I probably could've gotten the job this year but missed the opening as I holidayed a few weeks to get to the World Cup faster.

Anyway, Monterrey appealed to me. A stable, financially secure club. I would be replacing Hugo Sanchez who was retiring after over 4 years at the club in which he won a league title (2021 Clausura) and a few cups (2x Mexican Cup Opening Stage, 1x Mexican Super Cup). I liked the idea of taking on the baton rather than coming into the club as a fire fighter. I also liked the challenge aspect, Chivas would've probably been a bit too easy. Their stadium also has awesome views of a mountain. Scenes.

Apparently the Puebla boss didn't see my appointment coming...

So I retorted.

And then things just got silly.

Needless to say, I'm particularly keen on beating him.

Now, before I show you my squad I shall give an overview of my transfers.

The squad needed work. We had strength up front and out wide but lacked a #10 and had a need for a couple of solid centre halves. Our central midfield situation also left a lot to be desired.

So, this is what I did.

350k. 350k. Let me say it again, 350k. Now, it's not quite 350k as there's another 110k after 50 league goals, 110k after 50 appearances and a 10% sell-on clause, but seriously. Paraguay international. Bargain!

A very talented number 10 who should dominate for years to come, his mental stats aren't stellar and his vision is a weak point but I'm very confident that he'll be a fantastic addition to the squad.

I was familiar with Vallejos from my time as Chile boss but had actually first spotted him a year or so into my Flamengo tenure. I considered signing him at the time but opted for the 'Rolls Royce' option in the form of Kongolo. Two years down the track and he's developed well. He came through at Colo Colo before a 5.5 million pound move to Porto. He played well for their B-team and put in a few decent performances for their A-team towards the end of his time there but was deemed surplus to requirements by Jose Mourinho.

I decided to upgrade at GK, Gudinho is a solid keeper with many years ahead of him, a real bargain from Chivas.

Jeff Parker isn't quite as polished as Vallejos but he has a lot of potential and has already been capped by the US. An added bonus is the fact that he already has a few years in Mexico under his belt so won't have any problems settling in. Should form a solid partnership with his Chilean counterpart.

We were in need of a solid ball winner and Enriquez fitted the bill, a veteran with reasonable physical attributes but very good mental attributes, a poor man's Lucas Leiva if you will.

I wanted a central midfielder with good passing and reasonable defensive ability, I normally like a roaming playmaker in midfield but knew that I would probably have to adapt to a simple supporting central midfielder as it would be hard to find a capable RPM. Hernandez should be a decent CM-S, his high work rate and teamwork is a bonus as well.

All in all 8.5 million well spent, I felt. A few million down the line with add on clauses, of course, but they're all 50 apps or 50 goals away from coming into effect. Now, onto the squad.

The star player at the club is undoubtedly Uruguayan international Haibrany Rocco. The club bought him from Defensor Sporting for 3 million pounds back in 2018. After a couple of mediocre seasons he bedded in and had a couple of 20+ goal seasons. He's more or less reached his potential but is consistent, enjoys big matches and will no doubt lead the team for many years. I decided to appoint him club captain, a move which went down well with his team mates.

Squad

Pre Season

Pre Season featured a good win over Kobenhaven and an exciting 3-3 against Newell's.

[Bilbo Baggins]

As an aside, when I was hunting for a new job Toronto FC laughed off my interest. The man they appointed instead of me may well have had 20 or so caps for the US national team but in his managerial career he'd won the square root of f... you get the idea.

Sporting CP: 'Copa Libertadores winner? Come on in.'

Toronto FC: 'Lol no, where are your caps?'

I like that some clubs still aren't quite willing to trust me!

Also, cue spoiler alert, I've decided on the club I'm going to attempt the European leg of the pentagon at. I shan't spell it out but given the theme of the thread it's fairly obvious...

If you connect the dots, so to speak, just knowingly say 'ah' without revealing the identity of the club.

[deltablue]

*knowingly* ah