Ronaldinho will aim to inspire Flamengo to victory when they travel to Bolivia to take on Real Potosi in search of passage into the group stage of the Copa Libertadores.
Flamengo, Brazil's most popular club with an estimated fan base of over 36 million, will be hoping to move closer towards gaining entry into the group stage of the 2012 Copa Libertadores when they clash with Real Potosi of Bolivia on Wednesday.
The Brazilians face a tricky task, as while on paper they appear to be much stronger than the locals, what could make things all that more difficult is playing at almost 4,000 metre above sea level, a climate which Brazilian teams have struggled to deal with in the past.
In Wednesday's other two Copa Libertadores first round fixtures, Union Espanola of Chile take on Tigres UANL of Mexico and Internacional of Brazil face Once Caldas of Colombia in a tie that could go either way.
Former winners Inter and Once Caldas have found wide success in the competition in recent years, but unfortunately one of the two sides will have to bow out at the first hurdle.
Union Espanola will confront their Copa Libertadores debut against Tigres with caution, even if the Mexicans travelled to Santiago with a second-choice side, with only one foreigner, American defender Jonathan Bornstein.
The decision made by the Mexican champions received heavy criticism from the local press, who considered it to be a sign of disrespect to their rivals and to the Copa Libertadores for that matter.
"It isn't a reserve team, they are part of the squad where all of them make up part of our work force," Ricardo Tuca Ferretti, the coach of Tigres, explained to the press, after being asked about his unexpected squad selection.
Despite the fact that the Mexicans will take the field without their regular starting eleven, Union Espanola won't take any risks and will confront the match as if it were a final.
Union Espanola, who will participate in a second straight Libertadores, are confident in their chances of progressing to the group stage of the competition.
"We are preparing ourselves to face a great team, it doesn't matter what players they bring, as it will still be extremely difficult; we have mentalised ourselves to do things well, we know we can win," affirmed Union Espanola defender Roberto Currimilla.
The Chileans will count with a full-strength squad, apart from Argentine striker Emanuel Sierra, who is out injured.
Ronaldinho's Flamengo will be hoping to pick up a positive result when they travel to the altitude of Potosi to take on locals Real Potosi in the first round of the competition.
Flamengo have been acclimatising themselves to the altitude of Bolivia for a week now, as the Victor Agustin Ugarte stadium, site of the match, sits at almost 4,000 metres above sea level. Brazilian teams have traditionally struggled to cope with high altitudes.
Vanderlei Luxemburgo, the coach of Flamengo, will field a full-strength side for the clash, which includes the likes of former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, Renato, Dario Bottinelli and Deivid.
Since his arrival in Bolivia, Ronaldinho has captured the imagination of the locals, to the degree that he even received a medal of honour from Bolivian president Evo Morales.
Meanwhile, Victor Zwenger, the Argentine coach of Real Potosi, counts with a modest side with few big names. Zwenger is expected to adopt an offensive 4-3-3 tactical scheme, in order to take full advantage of the effects of the high altitude.
Flamengo, winners of the 1981 Copa Libertadores, come into the tie as the firm favourites, even if they are expected to struggle in Bolivia on Wednesday.
Internacional clash with Once Caldas at the Beira-Rio stadium in Porto Alegre in what is arguably the most attractive match-up of the first stage as it brings together two former Copa Libertadores champions.
Both Inter and Once Caldas are expected to tackle the match with an attacking approach, as while the hosts will be forced to push to the attack at every opportunity, the visitors will surely break on swift counter-attacks in an attempt to snatch a valuable away goal.
Inter, winners of the 2006 and 2010 Libertadores, count with perhaps the strongest squad on the continent with players of the caliber of Argentine playmaker Andres D'Alessandro, as well as fellow Argentines Pablo Guinazu and Mario Bolatti. Inter boast a menacing attack with Leandro Damiao and Dagoberto set to start against the Colombians.
The only key player from the Inter squad that has been discarded for the match is former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Tinga, who sustained an injury.
Opponents Once Caldas, winners of the 2004 Copa Libertadores, are expected to give the Brazilians a run for their money due to the depth in strength that they contain in their squad. Once boss, Pompilio Paez, will field a strong side that will intend to return to Manizales with at least a point.
The Brazilians face a tricky task, as while on paper they appear to be much stronger than the locals, what could make things all that more difficult is playing at almost 4,000 metre above sea level, a climate which Brazilian teams have struggled to deal with in the past.
In Wednesday's other two Copa Libertadores first round fixtures, Union Espanola of Chile take on Tigres UANL of Mexico and Internacional of Brazil face Once Caldas of Colombia in a tie that could go either way.
Former winners Inter and Once Caldas have found wide success in the competition in recent years, but unfortunately one of the two sides will have to bow out at the first hurdle.
Union Espanola will confront their Copa Libertadores debut against Tigres with caution, even if the Mexicans travelled to Santiago with a second-choice side, with only one foreigner, American defender Jonathan Bornstein.
The decision made by the Mexican champions received heavy criticism from the local press, who considered it to be a sign of disrespect to their rivals and to the Copa Libertadores for that matter.
"It isn't a reserve team, they are part of the squad where all of them make up part of our work force," Ricardo Tuca Ferretti, the coach of Tigres, explained to the press, after being asked about his unexpected squad selection.
Despite the fact that the Mexicans will take the field without their regular starting eleven, Union Espanola won't take any risks and will confront the match as if it were a final.
Union Espanola, who will participate in a second straight Libertadores, are confident in their chances of progressing to the group stage of the competition.
"We are preparing ourselves to face a great team, it doesn't matter what players they bring, as it will still be extremely difficult; we have mentalised ourselves to do things well, we know we can win," affirmed Union Espanola defender Roberto Currimilla.
The Chileans will count with a full-strength squad, apart from Argentine striker Emanuel Sierra, who is out injured.
Ronaldinho's Flamengo will be hoping to pick up a positive result when they travel to the altitude of Potosi to take on locals Real Potosi in the first round of the competition.
Flamengo have been acclimatising themselves to the altitude of Bolivia for a week now, as the Victor Agustin Ugarte stadium, site of the match, sits at almost 4,000 metres above sea level. Brazilian teams have traditionally struggled to cope with high altitudes.
Vanderlei Luxemburgo, the coach of Flamengo, will field a full-strength side for the clash, which includes the likes of former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, Renato, Dario Bottinelli and Deivid.
Since his arrival in Bolivia, Ronaldinho has captured the imagination of the locals, to the degree that he even received a medal of honour from Bolivian president Evo Morales.
Meanwhile, Victor Zwenger, the Argentine coach of Real Potosi, counts with a modest side with few big names. Zwenger is expected to adopt an offensive 4-3-3 tactical scheme, in order to take full advantage of the effects of the high altitude.
Flamengo, winners of the 1981 Copa Libertadores, come into the tie as the firm favourites, even if they are expected to struggle in Bolivia on Wednesday.
Internacional clash with Once Caldas at the Beira-Rio stadium in Porto Alegre in what is arguably the most attractive match-up of the first stage as it brings together two former Copa Libertadores champions.
Both Inter and Once Caldas are expected to tackle the match with an attacking approach, as while the hosts will be forced to push to the attack at every opportunity, the visitors will surely break on swift counter-attacks in an attempt to snatch a valuable away goal.
Inter, winners of the 2006 and 2010 Libertadores, count with perhaps the strongest squad on the continent with players of the caliber of Argentine playmaker Andres D'Alessandro, as well as fellow Argentines Pablo Guinazu and Mario Bolatti. Inter boast a menacing attack with Leandro Damiao and Dagoberto set to start against the Colombians.
The only key player from the Inter squad that has been discarded for the match is former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Tinga, who sustained an injury.
Opponents Once Caldas, winners of the 2004 Copa Libertadores, are expected to give the Brazilians a run for their money due to the depth in strength that they contain in their squad. Once boss, Pompilio Paez, will field a strong side that will intend to return to Manizales with at least a point.
