Head coaches Leonardo Jardim and Alexander Medina have finalized the starting lineups for the first leg of the 2026 Copa Conmebol Libertadores semifinal between Estudiantes de La Plata and Flamengo in La Plata, Argentina, on Thursday (15). The Brazilian club enters the continental fixture dealing with five confirmed roster absences across its main squad. Meanwhile, the Argentine coaching staff was forced to alter its defensive unit just hours before kickoff following an administrative ruling by Conmebol, the South American soccer governing body.
Compared to the previous outing against domestic rival Fluminense in the Campeonato Brasileiro, Brazil’s top-flight national league, Leonardo Jardim introduced two direct changes to the Flamengo starting eleven. Right-back Emerson Royal steps into the lineup to replace Guillermo Varela, while forward and team captain Bruno Henrique takes the offensive spot previously occupied by striker Pedro. Across the current edition of the continental tournament, Bruno Henrique has now recorded seven appearances as a starter, compared to three starts registered by Pedro.
Tactical adjustments and official rosters in La Plata
Within the Flamengo midfield structure, the absence of playmaker Giorgian de Arrascaeta prompted the coaching staff to push Lucas Paquetá forward into the primary creative role as the number 10. To maintain balance in the center of the pitch, Saúl Ñíguez was selected to fill the defensive midfield vacancy left by Jorginho. On the Estudiantes de La Plata side, center-back Marcos Rojo was initially projected to start the match, but Conmebol rejected his official registration hours prior to the opening whistle. Consequently, Ramiro Funes Mori stepped into the backline for the host team, which is led on the field by center-forward and captain Guido Carrillo.
Both technical staffs set up their squads in a 4-2-3-1 tactical formation for the opening leg in Argentina. The confirmed starting eleven and bench options for Flamengo and Estudiantes de La Plata feature the following players:
- Flamengo starting lineup (head coach Leonardo Jardim, 4-2-3-1): Agustín Rossi; Emerson Royal, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Alex Sandro; Erick Pulgar, Saúl Ñíguez, and Lucas Paquetá; Jorge Carrascal, Samuel Lino, and Bruno Henrique.
- Flamengo substitutes: Andrew, Dyogo Alves, Guillermo Varela, Vitão, João Victor, Johnny Goes, Luiz Araújo, Nicolás de la Cruz, Gonzalo Plata, Pedro Guilherme, Anthony Valencia, and Joaquín Freitas.
- Estudiantes de La Plata starting lineup (head coach Alexander Medina, 4-2-3-1): Fernando Muslera; Eros Mancuso, Santiago Núñez, Ramiro Funes Mori, and Gastón Benedetti; Ezequiel Piovi, Alexis Castro, and Baltasar Rodríguez; Tiago Palacios, Joaquín Tobio Burgos, and Guido Carrillo.
- Estudiantes de La Plata substitutes: Fabricio Iacovich, Máximo Desábato, Santiago Arzamendia, José Sosa, Fabricio Pérez, Bautista Kociubinski, Miguel Monsalve, Brian Aguirre, Adolfo Gaich, Edwuin Cetré, Joaquín Correa, and Lucas Alario.
Medical absences and disciplinary suspensions for both clubs
The Flamengo delegation traveled to Argentina without five first-team players due to a combination of medical issues and disciplinary penalties. Midfielder Jorginho is serving an automatic suspension after receiving a red card during the second leg of the quarterfinals against Independiente del Valle. On the medical front, midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta is recovering from a fractured left wrist, while defender Danilo remains under clinical care following two fractures to his jaw. Additionally, left-back Ayrton Lucas and midfielder Evertton Araújo have been clinically cleared from thigh injuries, but both players remained in Brazil to complete their physical transition back to the pitch under the supervision of the club’s fitness department.
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For Estudiantes de La Plata, head coach Alexander Medina lost his regular starting center-back pairing ahead of this opening semifinal encounter. Defenders Leandro González Pírez and Tomás Palacios are both serving automatic suspensions after accumulating yellow cards during the previous knockout stages of the tournament. Furthermore, midfielder Gabriel Neves was left off the matchday squad list entirely due to an ongoing physical injury.
Broadcast details and Paraguayan officiating crew in Buenos Aires province
The semifinal first leg takes place in the province of Buenos Aires with an all-Paraguayan officiating crew appointed by Conmebol. Prior to the start of the contest, the exact disciplinary card averages for the head referee and official medical updates regarding potential injuries to Argentine players Eric Meza and Jalil Elías had not been formally disclosed by the organizers.
Supporters tracking the continental semifinal can follow the match through television and streaming platforms. The operational details and officiating assignments for the fixture in La Plata are structured as follows:
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- Kickoff time: 9:30 p.m. BRT (Brasília time).
- Venue: Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi (Estadio UNO), in La Plata, Argentina.
- Live broadcast: ESPN (cable television) and Disney+ (streaming platform).
- Head referee: Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay).
- Assistant referees: Eduardo Cardozo and Milciades Saldívar (both from Paraguay).
- Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Ulises Mereles (Paraguay).
Head-to-head record across 12 past meetings and path to the semifinals
The clash in La Plata marks the 13th historical meeting between the two South American institutions and their third encounter during the 2026 campaign alone, after both clubs shared Group A in the Copa Libertadores group stage. During that preliminary phase, the teams played to a 1-1 draw in Argentina on April 29, 2026, in a match marked by complaints from the Brazilian side regarding physical fouls and the ejection of both head coaches. Subsequently, Flamengo secured a 1-0 victory in Rio de Janeiro on May 20, 2026, finishing at the top of the group standings with 16 points, ahead of second-placed Estudiantes de La Plata with 9 points. Across the overall 12-match historical record prior to this semifinal, the Rio de Janeiro club holds five victories, five draws, and two defeats, tallying 13 goals scored and eight conceded.
During the 2025 edition of the Copa Libertadores, the two sides also met in the quarterfinal stage. On that occasion, Flamengo won the opening leg 2-1 in Rio de Janeiro, lost the return match 1-0 in La Plata, and advanced via a 4-2 penalty shootout victory before claiming the championship title against Palmeiras. To reach the 2026 semifinals, the Brazilian squad eliminated Cruzeiro in the round of 16 and defeated Independiente del Valle in the quarterfinals, securing a 2-0 away win in Ecuador followed by a 1-1 draw in Rio de Janeiro. Conversely, the Argentine club advanced past Universidad Católica in the round of 16 and eliminated Corinthians in the quarterfinals after a 1-1 home draw and a 1-0 away triumph at the Neo Química Arena.
The decisive second leg between Flamengo and Estudiantes de La Plata will take place at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, with kickoff scheduled for 9:30 p.m. BRT. The aggregate winner of this tie will advance to the championship final to face either Palmeiras or Fluminense, who compete in the opposite semifinal bracket following a 2-1 victory by Palmeiras in their opening leg at the Maracanã on Wednesday (14).
