Palmeiras and Estudiantes to meet in Copa Libertadores final in Montevideo

Brazil's Palmeiras will face Argentina's Estudiantes de La Plata in the final of the Copa Libertadores, South America's equivalent of the Champions League, on Saturday, November 28.

The single-match final will be played at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay, which has a capacity of more than 60,000 and also hosted the 2021 final.

How they got there

Both teams needed penalty shootouts to reach the final.

Palmeiras knocked out 2023 champions Fluminense 5-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw on aggregate.

Estudiantes pulled off the bigger shock, eliminating holders Flamengo at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. Playing with ten men, they held on and won 3-2 on penalties. Veteran Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was the hero in the shootout.

History on the line

Palmeiras are in their second consecutive final and are chasing a fourth title, after wins in 1999, 2020 and 2021. They have become one of the dominant forces in South American football in recent years.

Estudiantes, from the city of La Plata near Buenos Aires, have won the competition four times, including three in a row from 1968 to 1970, and last lifted the trophy in 2009. This is their first final in 17 years.

The two clubs have met in a final before: Estudiantes beat Palmeiras for the 1968 title.

Brazil v Argentina

The final adds another chapter to the football rivalry between Brazil and Argentina, which runs through every level of the game. Brazilian clubs have won every Libertadores since 2019, thanks to their greater financial power, so an Estudiantes victory would be a significant upset.

The winner earns a place in FIFA's Intercontinental Cup, with a chance to face Europe's champions.