For the first time in 17 years, Los Pincharratas will play in the semifinals of South America’s most prestigious tournament, where they will face Brazil’s Flamengo. The popular media outlet 1xBet Tribuna Argentina covers the latest news regarding Alexander Medina’s side and its chances of reaching the final.
Estudiantes’ path to the semifinals
Los Pincharratas narrowly made it through the group stage. Going into the final round of matches, they sat third in the group and needed a victory over Independiente Medellín to reach the knockout stage. Estudiantes had the upper hand in shots and finally got the result it needed in stoppage time. Mikel Amondarain’s goal was initially ruled out for offside, but after a VAR review, the referee overturned the decision. As a result, Estudiantes moved ahead of Independiente Medellín in the standings and advanced to the knockout stage in second place.
In the first Round of 16 match against Universidad Católica, Los Pincharratas led for most of the game but conceded shortly before the final whistle when Fernando Zampedri’s shot deflected off Santiago Núñez’s leg. It was the Chilean side’s first and only shot on target throughout the clash. However, Estudiantes showed their superiority in the return leg, thrashing the Chileans 3-0 on their home turf.
In the first leg of the quarter-finals against Corinthians Paulista, Estudiantes had more shots on goal as the home side, but the game ended 1-1. The second showdown was far more dramatic. In the 87th minute, Alexis Castro put El León ahead with a superb volley, but the Brazilians were awarded a penalty just before the final whistle. Fortunately, Memphis Depay sent his spot-kick well over the bar.
Squad concerns
The Supercopa Internacional final against Rosario Central brought Estudiantes the bitter taste of a 3-1 defeat and several injury setbacks. Gabriel Neves fractured his wrist after a heavy fall, while his replacement, Jalil Elías, suffered a thigh injury. Guido Carrillo also made headlines in the noticias deportivas Argentina/Argentine sports news after picking up an injury. The team captain suffered a strain to his left leg against Rosario Central, but coach Alexander Medina hopes the player will return in time for the Copa Libertadores semifinals. Joaquín Correa’s availability is much more uncertain, as he is still recovering. Estudiantes will also be without defenders Leandro González Pírez and Tomás Palacios for the first leg of the semifinal, as both are serving one-match suspensions for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Flamengo has squad concerns of their own. First-choice left-back Ayrton Lucas and defensive midfielder Evertton Araújo are both injured, while Jorginho will miss the first leg through suspension. Winger Gonzalo Plata is also a doubt.
Previous H2H matches
In 2025, Estudiantes and Flamengo faced off in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals. The second leg was decided by a penalty shootout, and the Brazilians came out on top. This year, the teams were in the same group during the group stage: the encounter at the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi ended in a 1-1 draw, while the hosts secured a narrow victory at the Maracanã Stadium.
In the tournament’s seven previous editions, Flamengo has reached the final four times and won three. For Los Pincharratas, the upcoming semifinal is their first since 2009, when the team last won the Copa Libertadores. Despite more modest success in recent years, the club intends to put up a serious fight. Estudiantes is the only Argentine team remaining in the tournament, so Medina’s players will be fighting for the honor of the entire country.
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