Rio de Janeiro, Sep 15 (IANS): Defending champions Flamengo will be without injured goalkeeper Diego Alves for their upcoming Copa Libertadores matches against Independiente del Valle and Barcelona de Guayaquil in Ecuador.

The 35-year-old did not travel with his teammates to the Andean country on Monday after failing to recover from a shoulder injury, Flamengo said on Twitter, reports Xinhua news agency.

His absence is likely to provide another opportunity for Cesar Dutra, who replaced Alves in the team's 0-2 defeat to Ceara in Brazil's Serie A championship on Sunday.

Flamengo will meet Independiente del Valle on Thursday and Barcelona de Guayaquil five days later.

The Rubro-Negro won their opening two matches of South America's premier club competition before it was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

They are currently second in Group A, behind Independiente del Valle on goal difference.

Alves, who has been capped 10 times for Brazil's national team, joined Flamengo in 2017 after ending his six-year spell with Spanish side Valencia.