Flamengo faces Estudiantes in Copa Libertadores semifinal without Arrascaeta

Defending Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo began their semifinal series against Estudiantes de La Plata on October 15, 2026, at Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi in La Plata, Argentina. The first-leg match kicked off at 8:20 PM ET (21:30 Brasília time, 19:30 Ecuador time) and was broadcast live on beIN SPORTS, Disney+ Premium, and regional broadcasters including ESPN, CazéTV, DAZN, and others depending on territory.

Flamengo faced the semifinal without key midfielder Arrascaeta, who fractured his left wrist during a Uruguay friendly against South Korea in late September and underwent surgery with an estimated recovery period of six weeks. Despite the absence of the number 10, who has been one of the club's primary players in recent years, Flamengo entered the match in strong form. The defending champions had recorded a 100% win rate in three Copa Libertadores matches this season without Arrascaeta—against Independiente Medellín, Cusco, and Estudiantes in group play. Flamengo arrived as group winners ahead of the first leg, having eliminated Cruzeiro and Independiente del Valle in previous rounds.

Estudiantes, managed by Alexander Medina, sought to capitalize on home advantage before the return leg. The Argentine side had advanced past Corinthians in the quarterfinals and aimed to secure a decisive advantage. Medina's team faced suspension absences, with defenders Leandro González Pirez and Tomás Palacios unavailable due to accumulated yellow cards. Estudiantes entered the match in inconsistent form, having drawn 2-2 with Central Córdoba in their most recent league outing.

Flamengo manager Leonardo Jardim kept his team selection private but indicated the midfield would likely feature Erick Pulgar, Saúl Ñíguez, and Lucas Paquetá, with Carrascal and Samuel Lino supporting in attack. Bruno Henrique and Pedro were competing for the forward position. Flamengo had recently defeated Fluminense 1-0 in Serie A play.

The second leg was scheduled for October 22 at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, also at 21:30 Brasília time. Away goals would not serve as a tiebreaker; if the aggregate score remained level, the tie would proceed to a penalty shootout. The semifinal winner would advance to the final, scheduled for November 28 in Montevideo, Uruguay. Both teams were pursuing their fifth Copa Libertadores title—Estudiantes with four championships (1968, 1969, 1970, 2009) and Flamengo with four (1981, 2019, 2022, 2025).