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There were amazing scenes in Brazil on Wednesday, as Flamengo fans went to support the squad as they flew to Lima for the Copa Libertadores final.

First, as reported by Globo, over ten thousand supporters went to the club’s training centre. Having a big party, they waited for the squad to get on the bus and followed them as far as they could.

Then another large group went to the airport, having to walk a couple of miles over a bridge which had been closed to traffic so they could pass. On the squad’s arrival, security grids and gates were broken, with the police having to use tear gas to restore order.

The fact it was a holiday in Brazil on Wednesday was helpful for so many people to be able to get to the training centre and airport. There was a huge party as the squad entered the departures lobby.

This is the first time a Copa Libertadores final is played in a single neutral leg. And given that it was originally scheduled for Santiago and then changed due to the protests in Chile, the trip got even harder for fans to plan.

Flying from Rio de Janeiro to Lima isn’t cheap or quick. Reports from Brazil have been showing that Flamengo fans would have to spend from £2.5k to £4k to make this trip by plane.

That’s why fans have been doing some crazy things to get to Lima. This week, a supporter in Lima told ESPN he doesn’t know how he’s getting back to Brazil. His friends helped him to get to Peru, but he can’t afford his return ticket.

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On Monday, as reported by Época, a group of 150 fans left Rio de Janeiro to go to Lima by bus. They’re spending four and a half days on the road, and some haven’t even booked a place to stay.

Flamengo have the biggest fanbase in Brazil, and haven’t reached a Libertadores final since 1981. That’s why they’ve been so crazy about it, and in case they beat River Plate on Saturday night, we can only expect bigger stories about fans going to the World Cup of Clubs in Qatar next month.

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