La final tiene olor a bravo: Palmeiras y Estudiantes se citan en Montevideo

Nonato se took a run from the spot, leaned over the ball and missed. That was enough for Palmeiras to reach the final: five perfect penalties, one failure from Fluminense and a ticket to Montevideo. The final on November 28 at the Centenario will pit the Brazilian champion against Estudiantes, the Argentine club that surprised Flamengo in the Maracana.

Una noche de

Estudiantes arrived in Rio with the weight of history on its shoulders and left with a place in the final. Flamengo, defending champion, could not break the deadlock. The match finished nil-nil, and then came the penalties, where Muslera became the figure of the night.

The goalkeeper stopped Jorginho, Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Henrique. For Estudiantes, José Sosa, Eros Mancuso and Tiago Palacios scored. Edwuin Cetré missed, but a slip allowed him to retake the kick. In a night of tension, that little detail made the difference between a possible elimination and a historic qualification.

“Cuando todo se decide desde los doce pasos, el arquero es medio equipo y la cancha termina deSmoking.”Martín Pasotti, Deportes

• Palmeiras eliminated Fluminense after a 2-2 aggregate draw and a 5-3 penalty shootout.
• Estudiantes eliminated the defending champion Flamengo after a 0-0 draw and a penalty shootout at the Maracaná.
• The final will be played on November 28 at the Centenario in Montevideo.
• Estudiantes has won the Libertadores four times; Independiente leads with seven and Boca has six.

I remember finals in the Centenario as a place where every corner seemed to have a memory. This one will have a special flavor: Palmeiras, one of Brazil's most successful clubs, against the Pincha, which made history by beating Flamengo on Brazilian soil.

The question is simple: who takes the 2026 Libertadores? My expectation? A tight final, with the team that knows how to survive the chaos of penalties standing out. Football gives no guarantees, and Montevideo is already preparing for a night that promises more suspense than comfort.

The next match is the final: November 28, Centenario, Montevideo. Palmeiras and Estudiantes will settle the Libertadores there.