Conmebol Rejects Flamengo's Appeal and Keeps Estudiantes in the Libertadores Final
The Rio club contested Marcos Rojo's inclusion in the semifinal; the final against Palmeiras will be on November 28 in Montevideo.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
Conmebol on Wednesday (28) rejected Flamengo's appeal seeking to annul its defeat to Estudiantes in the Libertadores semifinal. With the decision, the Argentine club stays in the final, which will be against Palmeiras on November 28 in Montevideo, according to Folha.
Flamengo argued that defender Marcos Rojo was fielded irregularly. He had been registered by Estudiantes after the transfer window closed in Argentina. The Rio club cited precedents, such as Santos's case in 2018, when a goalless draw became a 3-0 defeat over an irregular lineup.
Conmebol at one point denied Rojo's registration, and he did not play the first leg in Argentina. Estudiantes appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and obtained clearance. The defender played in the second leg, at the Maracanã, which the Argentines won on penalties.
The argument the Court accepted was that Conmebol's own rules give the national association the responsibility of assessing a player's eligibility. The Argentine federation had authorized the registration.
Estudiantes said the disciplinary committee rejected the complaint and the request for injunctive measures "in full," and called on its fans to turn out for the decisive match.