Flamengo welcome Estudiantes de La Plata to the Maracana on Thursday for the second leg of their Copa Libertadores semi-final, with a place in the final at stake after a goalless draw in Argentina. 

The reigning champions arrive in strong domestic form after beating Bahia 3-0 on Sunday, a result that kept them top of the Brazilian Serie A, meanwhile the visitors rotated their squad for a 2-1 defeat to San Lorenzo.

Match preview

The first leg in La Plata was a bruising contest in which neither side managed to score, as Flamengo had no shots on target, while Estudiantes also struggled to turn their attacking moments into a decisive advantage. 

The Brazilian side will be frustrated by their lack of threat in the opening leg, having shared the tournament's leading scoring tally with Palmeiras, with 17 goals, and their average of 6.3 shots on target per match highlights the attacking output that was missing in Argentina. 

Leonardo Jardim described the first meeting as "extremely aggressive", reflecting the physical nature of the contest, and the hosts will hope the atmosphere at the Maracana helps them impose themselves earlier, but they must also avoid allowing the occasion to turn into a frantic game. 

Flamengo have momentum to draw on, picking up a 3-0 win over Bahia in the Serie A with goals from Jorginho, Gonzalo Plata and Lucas Paqueta — a win that kept them at the top of the Brazilian league with 67 points. 

Estudiantes have taken a more difficult route through the competition, finishing second in Group A behind Flamengo, eliminated Universidad Catolica in the round of 16 and overcame Corinthians in the quarter-finals. 

Their ability to win away from home in the latter tie is a reminder that they can handle hostile surroundings, even if their recent domestic form has been less convincing.

The visitors showed how fixated they are on making the final by rotating last weekend, a decision that cost Alexander Medina’s side three points as they lost 2-1 at home to San Lorenzo in the Argentine first division fixture.

Guido Carrillo will be central to their hopes, as the striker has a strong record in the Libertadores for Estudiantes and has scored against Flamengo in previous meetings. 

There is a recent history of close encounters between these clubs, as Flamengo eliminated Estudiantes on penalties in the 2025 quarter-finals after the sides traded narrow wins across the two legs. 

Flamengo Copa Libertadores form:

Flamengo form (all competitions):

Estudiantes Copa Libertadores form:

Estudiantes form (all competitions):

Team News

Flamengo remain without Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who is recovering from surgery on a fractured wrist, and defender Danilo, who is being treated for two fractures in his jaw. 

Evertton Araujo is also expected to miss out after suffering a grade-three injury to his left adductor, while Ayrton Lucas has returned to training with the squad and is expected to be available, although he is more likely to start on the bench.

Saul remains a doubt after reporting pain in the back of his left leg following the first leg, and had not returned to full group training as of the latest reports, so his availability will depend on further assessment. 

Jorginho, having served his suspension, is expected to return to the starting XI and provide an important presence in the middle of the pitch.

At Estudiantes, the main uncertainty concerns Marcos Rojo, as the club's emergency registration request was rejected by CONMEBOL, prompting an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. 

Coach Medina has said he has a plan whether or not the experienced defender is cleared to play, but the decision could affect his defensive selection. 

Leandro Gonzalez Pirez and Tomas Palacios return from suspension and should strengthen the visitors' defensive options. 

Gabriel Neves remains unavailable with an arm fracture, while Eric Meza and Jalil Elias are doubts because of muscle injuries. 

If Rojo is not cleared, Medina will have to choose between his returning defenders and the alternatives who featured in the first leg.

Flamengo possible starting lineup:

Rossi; Emerson Royal, Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira, Alex Sandro; Erick Pulgar, Jorginho; Jorge Carrascal, Lucas Paqueta, Samuel Lino; Bruno Henrique

Estudiantes possible starting lineup:

Muslera; Mancuso, Santiago Nunez, Tomas Palacios, Benedetti; Piovi, Castro; Tiago Palacios, Baltasar Rodriguez, Tobio Burgos; Guido Carrillo

We say: Flamengo 1-0 Estudiantes

Flamengo should have the greater share of possession and attacking pressure at the Maracana, and their recent domestic results suggest they are in a good position to find the breakthrough. 

Estudiantes have already shown they can make the contest uncomfortable, and their best chance may be to keep the score level for as long as possible before targeting a set piece or a mistake. However, the home side have enough attacking quality to produce one decisive moment. 

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