Estudiantes Reaches Copa Libertadores Final After Penalty Victory Over Flamengo

Estudiantes advanced to the Copa Libertadores final on October 22 by defeating Flamengo 3–2 in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw across two semifinal legs. The Argentine club faced a significant challenge when defender Baltasar Rodríguez was sent off in the 50th minute of the second leg at Rio de Janeiro's Maracaná Stadium after receiving a second yellow card within 15 minutes. Despite playing with ten men, Estudiantes held firm defensively, and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera proved decisive in the shootout, saving penalties from Jorginho, Lucas Paquetá, and Bruno Henrique. Estudiantes' victory prevented an all-Brazilian final and means that Brazil and Argentina remain tied at 25 Copa Libertadores titles each heading into the championship match.

The final will be played on November 28 at Montevideo's Centenario Stadium in Uruguay, pitting Estudiantes against Palmeiras. Palmeiras advanced by eliminating Fluminense in the other semifinal. Estudiantes will seek its fifth continental title—the club won championships in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 2009, and this marks its first final appearance since 2009. Palmeiras, with three titles (1999, 2020, 2021), aims for a fourth. The winner will claim approximately 25 million USD in prize money, while the runner-up receives 7 million USD. By eliminating Flamengo in the semifinal, Estudiantes also prevented Brazil from securing its eighth consecutive Copa Libertadores title, which would have given the country sole possession of the competition's historical lead.