Estudiantes advanced to the Libertadores final after eliminating Flamengo on penalties at the Maracanã

Estudiantes once again left its mark on the Maracanã. The team eliminated Flamengo on penalties and booked its place in the 2026 Copa Libertadores final, in a tie that once again showed the Brazilian stadium as the stage for major Argentine celebrations.

The qualification carried special weight because of the context and the manner in which it was achieved. Fernando Muslera was decisive in the shootout from the spot and finished as the night’s main figure. On the other side, Marcos Rojo experienced the qualification with intense emotion: he returned to the Libertadores in Pincha colors and ended up in tears after the decisive moment.

Muslera, absolutely key on the Rio night

Domínguez did not hesitate to put the spotlight on his goalkeeper. The coach highlighted the value of his performance in a tie that ended up being decided by penalties and also stressed the squad’s collective effort.

Eduardo Domínguez: “If we are in the final, it is because of his great performance.”

Muslera, meanwhile, also shared his feelings after a match that will be etched into his career. The Uruguayan goalkeeper saved three penalties against Flamengo at the Maracanã, a number that by itself explains why Estudiantes is still on course.

Fernando Muslera: “It will be etched into my career.”

Rojo, pure emotion and a club that never gives up

The other powerful image of the night was Marcos Rojo. In his return to the Libertadores with Estudiantes, the center-back did not hide what the qualification meant and recalled his bond with these kinds of big nights.

Marcos Rojo: “This club does not know what impossibilities are.”

The phrase fits perfectly with what the match left behind: a team that held firm, competed, and punched its ticket to the final in one of the toughest venues on the continent. At that same Maracanã, Argentine celebrations have also been repeated over the last two years, to the point that the mythical stadium has ended up being more celebrated by visitors than by locals in international competitions.

A matchup that is already part of recent history

The tie also had another detail that speaks to the atmosphere surrounding the series: Boca and Estudiantes supporters were in Rio de Janeiro for their continental semifinal commitments and made themselves heard in Brazil.

• Estudiantes qualified for the 2026 Libertadores final.
• Flamengo was eliminated on penalties.
• Muslera saved three attempts in the shootout.
• Rojo once again lived through a night full of emotion in Pincha colors.

The Maracanã was once again the scene of an Argentine upset. This time, it was Estudiantes who smiled.