Rosario Central were knocked out of the Libertadores after losing to Corinthians
El Canalla could not hold onto the tie and bowed out of the tournament after a 1-0 defeat in Brazil. The loss also left Ángel Di María with the door open to assess his future.
Rosario Central were left without their international dream in the Copa Libertadores. The team of Ángel Di María lost 1-0 to Corinthians and were eliminated in a tie that was decided in São Paulo.
The exit hit hard because the Canalla had held firm in the first leg, which finished 0-0 at the Gigante de Arroyito, but they were unable to make the most of the extra man in the return match. The goal from Breno Bidon, in the 35 minutes del segundo tiempo, was the one that ultimately tipped the balance in the tie.
A close tie that was broken late on
Central went to Brazil with the feeling that the story was still open. However, the match gradually slipped away from them and the ending was bitter. Corinthians found the breakthrough in the closing stages and left the Rosario side with no room to respond.
- First leg: 0-0 in Rosario.
- Second leg: 1-0 defeat to Corinthians.
- Decisive goal: Breno Bidon, in the 35' of the second half.
The detail that hurts most in Rosario is that Central failed to capitalize on the numerical advantage in the second leg. In these kinds of ties, those details carry a lot of weight. And this time, they went against them.
Di María, frustrated and with a door open
The elimination also left a powerful image around Ángel Di María, who did not hide his frustration after the match and left open the possibility of retiring.
It is no minor detail: the world champion's international dream was cut short sooner than expected, and the ending left more questions than certainties about his immediate future.
The impact on Argentine football
The defeat of Rosario Central adds to a busy week for Argentine clubs in CONMEBOL competitions, with ties that have brought blows, tension and also some qualifications that kept hope alive. In this context, every elimination hurts twice as much.
Central did not just lose a tie. They lost a big chance to keep competing away from home and to sustain a project that had generated excitement. The defeat to Corinthians leaves the club once again forced to look inward and rebuild quickly.
Meanwhile, the picture is clear: Rosario Central exited the Libertadores without being able to withstand the final blow, and Di María was left at the center of all eyes after a farewell that nobody in Arroyito wanted to imagine so soon.
