FOR the third consecutive year the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League, concluded with an all-Brazilian final, with Flamengo beating Athletico Paranaense 1-0 on Saturday.
This domination is, of course, good news for Brazil. But it is bad news for the competition.
The big Brazilian teams now have a financial advantage so big that it has become all but impossible for the rest of the continent to compete.
Brazil’s championship might be trying to brand itself as the Premier League of South America – a comparison that will make even more sense if the clubs are able to break away from the local FA and organise their own competition.
But there is a key difference.