Conmebol changes Libertadores rules in 2025 - Flamengo is classified

Flamengo defeated Estudiantes (ARG) 2-1 at the Maracanã, but Colombian referee Andrés Rojas's performance became the talk of the town. The club's executive director of football, José Boto, was scathing in his criticism, calling the officiating "scandalous" and "shameful."

José Boto demands Conmebol after Flamengo vs Estudiantes: "It's scandalous, shameful, in the biggest competition in South America"

"We need to ask CONMEBOL to carefully analyze what happened there. A penalty in our favor was converted into Plata's red card, which not only hurts us this game but will hurt us in the second leg. During their goal, the ball hit the Estudiantes player's arm . This can't be a coincidence. Once again, a team that has much more possession and plays more attacking games is receiving more yellow cards than the other team," Boto stated.

"An Estudiantes player committed a very bad foul on Arrascaeta in the first half, and the referee didn't even give him a yellow card . It would have been a second. For us, they turned a penalty into the sending off of one of our players. I think it's scandalous, shameful, that in South America's biggest competition, we continue to see things like this. I urge CONMEBOL to pay attention to the return leg, because this cannot happen again. What happened there was a scandal," he added.

HOW THE EXPULSION CHANGED THE GAME

Flamengo was leading 2-0, with goals from Pedro and Varela, and was in control of the match. However, Gonzalo Plata's red card changed the game . Down ten men, Flamengo retreated, and Estudiantes grew into the match. In stoppage time, Guido Carrillo pulled one back and kept the Argentines alive in the match. Now, Mengão needs a draw in the return leg, scheduled for next Thursday (25), in La Plata, to advance to the Libertadores semifinals.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT GAME

Before the decision in Argentina, Flamengo turns its attention to the Brasileirão . Next Sunday (18), Filipe Luís' team faces Vasco, at 5:30 pm, at Maracanã, in a classic valid for the 24th round. The second match against Estudiantes will be next Thursday (25).

Flamengo full-back Matías Viña made a controversial accusation after Flamengo's 2-1 victory over Estudiantes at the Maracanã stadium in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals. According to the Uruguayan, fourth official Jhon Ospina instructed coach Eduardo Domínguez to make a substitution during the match.

Viña reveals what the fourth official said in Flamengo vs Estudiantes: "He said their player was on a yellow card"

" Everyone heard, everyone saw the fourth official talking to him (Domínguez). I speak Spanish and I heard him clearly . He said their player was on a yellow card. And in the second half, he said something else," Viña declared in the mixed zone.

WHAT VIÑA REPORTED

A video recorded from the stands shows the conversation between Ospina and the Argentine coach. In the footage, the fourth official reportedly warned Domínguez about Román Gómez , who was already on a yellow card and at risk of being sent off.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

Flamengo started with a bang, scoring twice before the tenth minute, with Pedro and Varela. In the second half, Gonzalo Plata's red-and-black ...

WHEN WILL THE RETURN GAME BE?

Flamengo and Estudiantes will face each other again next Thursday (25), at the UNO Stadium, in La Plata. Rubro-Negro will guarantee qualification with a draw , while the Argentines need to win by one goal to take the decision to penalties. A victory by two or more goals will put Domínguez's team directly in the semifinals.

Flamengo defeated Argentina's Estudiantes 2-1 at the Maracanã Stadium . The red-and-black team decided the match in the first half with goals from Pedro and Varela. Mengão gave Estudiantes no time to breathe in Rio de Janeiro with a lightning goal.

Just 15 seconds in, Pedro capitalized on a pass from Plata, turned on his marker, and fired a left-footed shot to open the scoring. The quick goal undermined Argentina's strategy and galvanized the Rio de Janeiro team, who continued to press. A few minutes later, Ayrton Lucas crossed from the left and Varela hit a beautiful volley into Muslera's corner, extending the red-and-blacks' lead in the first half.

RED-BLACK DOMINATION

Even with a two-goal lead, Flamengo maintained control and nearly made it three with Pedro, whose shot was spectacularly saved by the Uruguayan goalkeeper. Estudiantes , for their part, barely threatened Rossi's goal and only managed to partially level the score in the final minutes of the first half . The feeling at Maracanã was that the 2-0 scoreline was a cheap one for the visitors.

SECOND HOT WEATHER

In the second half, the pace dropped. Coach Eduardo Domínguez made substitutions, trying to give the Argentine team more momentum, but he ran into the red-and-black defense. The match was not without its tense moments, with cards for Saúl, Samuel Lino, and Alexis Castro, and Plata's sending-off after a second yellow card in a dispute with Facundo Rodríguez . At the end of the second half, Estudiantes scored in the 46th minute to leave the match open in Argentina.

NEXT COMMITMENTS

With the 2-1 victory, Flamengo takes the lead in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores. The return leg is scheduled for the 25th, at 9:30 pm, at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, in Argentina. Before that, the team led by Tite faces Vasco next Sunday (21), for the Brazilian Championship, again at Maracanã.