Flamengo head coach Leonardo Jardim wrapped up his squad’s preparations in Argentina on Wednesday (14) by signaling the return of forward Bruno Henrique and right-back Emerson Royal to the starting eleven. The Rio de Janeiro club faces Argentine side Estudiantes on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) in the opening leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals, South America’s premier club soccer tournament. The match takes place at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, widely known as Estadio UNO, in the city of La Plata.
The coaching staff held the final tactical session at the youth academy complex of Argentine club Defensa y Justicia, situated right next to the host institution’s first-team training grounds. All 23 players included on the traveling roster took part in the pitch work. Media representatives were permitted to watch the initial 15 minutes of the warm-up before the coaches closed the gates to finalize the starting formation.
This two-legged series determines one of the finalists for the continental championship match, which is scheduled for Saturday, November 28, 2026, in Montevideo, Uruguay. The club that advances from the tie between Flamengo and Estudiantes will play the winner of the all-Brazilian semifinal featuring Fluminense and Palmeiras. Following the opener in La Plata, the return leg is set for Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Tactical adjustments by Leonardo Jardim and scoring records in 2026
To set up the team for the away fixture in La Plata, the technical staff is modifying the lineup that defeated local rivals Fluminense 1-0 on Sunday (11) in the Campeonato Brasileiro, Brazil’s top-flight national league. After starting on the substitutes’ bench during that domestic derby, Emerson Royal and Bruno Henrique are projected to reclaim the spots filled over the weekend by right-back Guillermo Varela and striker Pedro. Flamengo enters the semifinal carrying a nine-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
Deploying Bruno Henrique in the starting attack maintains a pattern established throughout the 2026 continental campaign. The forward has started nine of the ten matches played by Flamengo in the current edition of the Copa Libertadores and stands as the squad’s top scorer in the tournament with five goals. The coaching staff favors his pace and physical strength in away fixtures to exploit spaces behind the opposing defensive line during quick offensive transitions.
In the central midfield sector, Spanish player Saúl Ñíguez holds the edge over Uruguayan international Nicolás De la Cruz to replace defensive midfielder Jorginho, who is serving an automatic suspension. Saúl Ñíguez already started the weekend match against Fluminense and is slated to form a three-man midfield unit alongside Chilean midfielder Erick Pulgar and playmaker Lucas Paquetá. Lucas Paquetá remains in the creative role usually occupied by Uruguayan midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta, who is sidelined due to injury.
Five confirmed absences in the squad and youth academy call-ups
The Brazilian delegation arrived in Argentina with five confirmed absences resulting from disciplinary suspensions, surgical procedures, and ongoing physical conditioning programs. To fill out the 23-man traveling party for training drills and matchday options, head coach Leonardo Jardim called up two players from the club’s youth academy: left-back Johnny and center-back João Victor.
Two senior starters remain under the care of the medical department following recent operations. Center-back Danilo is recovering from surgery performed to repair two jaw fractures sustained during the domestic win over Fluminense. Meanwhile, midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta underwent a surgical procedure after fracturing his left wrist and remains out of action.
Left-back Ayrton Lucas and midfielder Evertton Araújo have been medically cleared from their respective muscle injuries, but both stayed behind in Rio de Janeiro to complete on-field physical transition drills with the club’s fitness coaches. The fifth unavailable player is Jorginho, who received a red card during the quarterfinal second leg against Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle, the opponent Flamengo eliminated to reach the final four.
Broadcast details, refereeing crew, and projected lineups in La Plata
Viewers in Brazil will have access to the semifinal first leg through subscription television and internet streaming services, as the match will not air on free-to-air broadcast networks. South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL appointed an all-Paraguayan officiating crew to oversee the contest at Estadio UNO. The complete match schedule, broadcast channels, refereeing assignments, and projected starting lineups for head coaches Alexander Medina and Leonardo Jardim are detailed below:
- Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
- Kickoff time: 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time)
- Venue: Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium (Estadio UNO) in La Plata, Argentina
- Where to watch: ESPN (cable television) and Disney+ (streaming platform)
- Referee: Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay)
- Assistant referees: Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay) and Milcíades Saldívar (Paraguay)
- Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Ulises Mereles (Paraguay)
- Projected Estudiantes lineup: Fernando Muslera; Eros Mancuso, Santiago Núñez, Marcos Rojo, and Gastón Benedetti; Ezequiel Piovi, Alexis Castro, and Baltasar Rodríguez; Tiago Palacios, Guido Carrillo, and Joaquín Tobio Burgos. Head coach: Alexander Medina
- Projected Flamengo lineup: 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. Head coach: Leonardo Jardim
Group stage meetings between the two semifinalists in 2026
The knockout series brings together two clubs that already faced each other twice during the group stage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores. Drawn into the same initial bracket, both Flamengo and Estudiantes secured the group’s two qualification berths to advance to the round of 16 earlier in the season.
In their first group meeting on April 29, 2026, in Argentina, forward Luiz Araújo opened the scoring for the Brazilian visitors before striker Guido Carrillo equalized in the second half to seal a 1-1 draw. In the return fixture at the Maracanã Stadium on May 20, 2026, striker Pedro scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory for the home side. Flamengo finished atop the group standings undefeated with 16 points from six matches, recording five wins and one draw, while Estudiantes advanced in second place with 9 points before eliminating Brazilian club Corinthians in the quarterfinals.