"A replica on the same scale is expected in the coming days," Flamengo's sporting director Isaias Tinoco said.

Central and southern Chile was hit by an 8.8-magnitude quake on February 27 that killed hundreds and caused massive damage.

League football only resumed in Chile at the weekend.

"The less time we spend on Chilean soil the better," Tinoco told Radio Brasil according to the Globo sports website.

Coach Andrade, whose team are top of the Carioca (Rio de Janeiro) state championship and have two Libertadores Group Eight wins already under their belts, said: "I'm taking everyone to Santiago, we'll be there at full strength.

"We know our stopover in Porto Alegre is not ideal but it's an emergency situation. Chile is living through a difficult time and we have to find other ways (of doing things)," he told the club's website.

Flamengo, winners in 1981, will cut their journey in two, spending a night in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre before flying on to Chile to arrive in Santiago less than four hours before kickoff at the Monumental stadium.

Chilean champions Colo Colo, who lifted South America's top club trophy in 1991, are also at home in Group Seven on Tuesday against Argentina's Velez Sarsfield, who won it in 1994.

Alianza Lima, top of Group Three with three wins including a 4-1 humiliation of holders Estudiantes of Argentina, could become the first team to qualify for the knockout phase when they meet fellow Peruvians Juan Aurich on Tuesday.

Corinthians, bidding for the title for the first time with former Brazil World Cup winners Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos in their team, visit Paraguay's Cerro Porteno in Asuncion in Group One on Wednesday.

Modest Cerro, the surprise Uruguayan side in Group Five with two wins from two matches, are at home to 2006 champions Internacional of Brazil in Montevideo on Thursday.

In Group Six, three-times winners Nacional of Uruguay are away to Argentine champions Banfield on Tuesday having been held 2-2 at home by the same rivals last week.

Reuters