Palmeiras is searching for a fourth title in the Libertadores and regaining the glories of 1999

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Palmeiras remembers its historic victory in the first Libertadores title in 1999, with a focus on Sao Marcos and the role of Junior Baiano, as it seeks to obtain its fourth title by facing Flamengo in 2025.

Palmeiras painted America green and white for the first time on the night of June 16, 1999. Now, 26 years after the historic penalty shootout win over Deportivo Cali, Sao Paulo will face Flamengo at the Monumental de Lima in Peru, in a bid to become the first Brazilian team to win a fourth Libertadores championship.

Even as the years pass and we get the opportunity to lift the cup for the fourth time, the heroes of the first victory remain in the memories of Alverde fans. Which Palmerense team doesn’t remember Marcos in the rankings against Corinthians? The celebratory performance in the first match and the defense in Vampeta’s penalty kick earned him canonisation: São Marcos.

The goalkeeper said: “The biggest turning point in my life happened in the first match in the quarter-finals, against Corinthians. I endured a lot! I played one of the best matches of my career. The players kicked a lot at the goal, thinking that I would score. But when they shot a lot, I ended up gaining confidence. That’s when I realized that I had the level to play for Palmeiras and I was important within the group.” Palmeiras Magazinein 2019.

But the knockout duels were not the first against the opponent in that edition of the competition. The first two confrontations took place in the group stage, at a time when it was common for teams from the same country to share the group.

Just like in the quarterfinals, each team came out on top in a duel. In fact, one of the competition’s greatest stories was written in the derby. After Veloso suffered an injury against Uniao Barbarense, Marcos took over the starting lineup in the Libertadores, against the opposition.

“I was Palmeiras’ third-choice goalkeeper at the start of the Copa Libertadores. I was registered, but I had no expectations to play. The starting player was Veloso, my football idol and one of the greatest goalkeepers in the club’s history. The immediate backup for this position was Sergio, another great player and brother that football gave me.”

The goalkeeper’s cinematic script led him to be a hero even when he didn’t touch the ball. In the final penalty shootout, Gerardo Bedoya hit the post and Martín Zapata shot wide, making him the idol of Palmeiras once and for all.

With Marcos certain to protect Palmeiras’ goal, Ivaer and Osias scored in the final to take the dispute to penalties. If the strikers do their bit in decision-making, it will be up to the extraordinary goalscorer to shine throughout the season.

Defender Junior Baiano was Palmeiras’ top scorer in the competition. In 13 matches he played on the pitch, the defender scored five times: three against Cerro Porteño and two against Olimpia, both Paraguayan teams.

Even names like Ossias, Paulo Nunes and Alex were behind the defender in the list of Palmeiras’ top scorers in the competition. Each found the back of the net four times throughout the campaign.

With the win under Felipao, Palmeiras put itself on the continental scene once and for all. In the 2020 edition of the competition, after 21 years, Verdão saw Abel Ferreira reclaim America, a feat achieved for the third time in 2021.

Now, the Portuguese coach will have the task of painting the continent in green and white once again. At 6pm (Brasilia time), Palmeiras will play at the Monumental Stadium in Lima, against Flamengo.