Possible GreNal in Libertadores will stop Brasil

There is a huge chance that there will be a Internacional x Grêmio matchup (aka GreNal) in the Libertadores Quarterfinals....that would be the most amazing, tense, 2 game matchup ever. And I mean it. No rivalry in Brasil comes close to this one. I cannot express how huge this would be. Porto Alegre is evengly divided and so is the State. Red x Blue. The teams have the same advertisers because advertisers fear that if they are on only 1 teams jersey they will lose 50% of the population. Inter has taken out any Blue colors from it's scoreboard. In 2009 Gremio fans caused a FIRE on the field!

One of the reason this would be so big is that since Brazil has so many big teams, Inter and Gremio have never decided against each other a Cup execpt for the Gaucho Championship. Not even a Brazilian Cup...and have never met in the Libertadores. Unlike say Boca and River that meet all the time in Argie Finals and Libertadores.

People will die of heart attacks...I hope I'm not one of them! And they may have to make each game a 1 fan base only, not allowing visiting fans to the game as it may be too dangerous.

Stay tuned.

Here is a little history. The "GRENAL of the Century" as it became known was played in 1989 and it was special because it was the Semi-Final of the Brazilian Championship, the furthest both met in the competition. The winner going to the Libertadores the following year. Gremio was up 1 x 0 with Inter one man down...and then this happened:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxL3OvnYHJs"]YouTube - GRENAL DO SÉCULO 1°GOL - Armindo Antônio Ranzolin[/ame]

and This:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFw6xMwB5Y4"]YouTube - GRENAL DO SÉCULO 2°GOL - Armindo Antônio Ranzolin[/ame]

 

OH and I didnt mention:

If there is a Grenal in the Quarters....IN BETWEEN those games, there will likely be 2 OTHER GreNal deciding the Gaúcho Championship!

So 4 GreNal in 2 weeks...deciding a Championship and who goes to the Libertadores Semis!

 

Not a chance. Wait and see how the hype will build up around a Grenal as compared to Santos/Cruzeiro which is not a rivalry.

 

For example see jornalist Juca Kfouri comment:

Eis os jogos dos brasileiros nas oitavas de final da Libertadores...Se todos passarem, nas quartas teremos, simplesmente, um Cruzeiro x Santos e, acredite, um Gre-Nal.

Translated:

"we could have a Cruzeiro Santos and believe it..a Gre-Nal."

That "believe it" says it all on what the real attention will be on by press and fans.

 

Wel GRENAL #1 is This Sunday deciding the 2nd Phase of the Gaúcho Championship.

If Grêmio wins they are the Champs. If Inter wins they are the 2nd Phase Champs and force two more GreNals to decide the Champion.

I think Inter will beat Gremio this Sunday. And we will have 2 more. As for the Libertadores I think Gremio wont get past Uni otherwise we would have 2 more!