Hours after calling off Thursday's 4th round match in the Libertadores Cup between Flamengo and Universidad de Chile, Rio de Janeiro's governor Sergio Cabral altered Wednesday's decision to postpone the match.
Due to heavy rains, floods and deaths throughout the state, the game was originally postponed. However, the plans have changed.
Upon learning of the news from state officials that the match would be canceled, Flamengo's president Patricia Amorim entered into quick action.
He established contact with the Chilean team and tried to reschedule the match for this Friday. Unable to make an agreement due to a conflicting schedule, the game was going to be played out at a future date.
However, tickets for the match of the 4th round of play in Group 8 of the Libertadores Cup had already been sold. In order to avoid any confusion, both teams and government leaders decided that the game should be played.
The state Secretary of Sports, Tourism and Recreation, Marcia Lins, the Rio de Janeiro city mayor, Eduardo Paes and governor Sergio Cabral all guaranteed that the physical conditions of the stadium and its surrounding area will be clean and safe.
Additionally, they promised that police vigilance and public transportation will be ready and available.
Due to the fact that Adriano has not fully recuperated from a sore lower back, he will not play in Thursday's match. His replacement to play alongside Vagner Love will be Bruno Mezenga.
The match between Flamengo and Universidad de Chile was originally scheduled to take play on Wednesday. However, Marcia Lins suspended the game due to poor field conditions and violent rains. However, representatives of the South American Confederation of Soccer (Conmebol), both teams and the trio of referees all agreed that the match could have been played on Wednesday night as previously planned.
The game will now be played on Thursday at 16:00h at the Maracana stadium. Universidad de Chile currently stands in the first place of Group 8 with seven points. Flamengo follows closely behind with six points. Universidad Catolica-CHI stands in third place with three points, trailed by Caracas-VEN that holds onto last place in the group with two points.