Estudiantes Faces Flamengo in Copa Libertadores Semifinal

Estudiantes de La Plata will play Flamengo this Thursday at 9:30 PM local time at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the second leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals. Following a scoreless 0-0 draw in the first leg played in Argentina, the series remains wide open as both teams fight for a place in the continental tournament's final match.

The winner of this semifinal matchup will advance to face Palmeiras in the final. Palmeiras secured their spot after defeating Fluminense in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 aggregate draw. The decisive championship match is scheduled for November 28 at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay.

For this crucial encounter, Estudiantes coach Alexander Medina faces a few tactical decisions regarding the starting lineup. The defensive unit sees competition between Leandro González Pirez and Tomás Palacios, while Joaquín Correa holds an advantage over Thiago Palacios to partner with Guido Carrillo in the attack. Meanwhile, experienced defender Marcos Rojo is available for selection after the Court of Arbitration for Sport enabled him following an appeal by the club.

Estudiantes arrives in Brazil amid an inconsistent run in the local tournament, having recently suffered a 2-1 defeat against San Lorenzo while utilizing an alternate lineup to rest key players. Despite their domestic standing in tenth place within Zone A, the Argentine squad relies on its historical continental resilience to attempt an upset against the reigning champions in their home stadium.

Flamengo enters the match in strong form under the direction of coach Leonardo Jardim. The Brazilian team recently achieved a 3-0 victory against Bahia in the Brasileirão, maintaining their position at the top of the local league standings. The squad will also welcome back midfielder Jorginho, who served a suspension during the first leg.

The officiating crew for the match is entirely from Uruguay, led by main referee Gustavo Tejera alongside assistant referees Nicolas Taran and Carlos Barreiro, with Antonio García managing the video assistant referee system. In Argentina, the match will be broadcast live via television on Fox Sports and Telefe, with streaming availability on Disney+.