Sports
Corinthians Exit Libertadores After Memphis Misses Penalty
Estudiantes advances to the semifinals and awaits the winner between Flamengo and Independiente del Valle at the Maracanã.
Corinthians has been eliminated from the Copa Libertadores following a defeat to Estudiantes and a late penalty miss by Memphis Depay. Bernardo Ramos breaks down the match and previews the continental semifinals.
Corinthians is out of the Copa Libertadores. The elimination at the hands of Estudiantes confirmed a bitter outcome for the São Paulo club, marked by Memphis Depay missing a penalty with the final kick of the match. The forward, who has scored 20 goals since arriving in 2024, fired his decisive spot-kick wide, sealing a heartbreaking home defeat.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
The Home Setback and Scrutiny on Memphis
In the video above, Bernardo Ramos analyzes the team's performance and the fallout from the missed penalty at the death. Estudiantes found the back of the net through Castro following a second-half cross from left-back Palacios—repeating the goalscoring combination from the first leg in La Plata. On the Corinthians side, Matheus Bidu forced a save from 40-year-old goalkeeper Muslera, but the hosts failed to breach the stubborn Argentine defense.
Estudiantes' Tactical Setup
The Argentine side, managed by Cacique Medina, dictated the tempo throughout the contest. According to Ramos, the squad relies on key contributors like Piovi in midfield, Tobías Burgos on the left flank, alongside Joaquín Correa and striker Guido Carrillo. Although Ramos views the current roster as technically inferior to last season's after Ascacibar departed for Boca Juniors, he highlighted the competitive edge instilled by Medina, who previously guided Vélez Sarsfield to the tournament semifinals in 2022.
Continental Outlook and Brasileirão Pressure
With qualification secured, Estudiantes is set to face Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores semifinals. The Rio de Janeiro side, managed by Leonardo Jardim, earned a 2-0 first-leg victory against Independiente del Valle at Estadio Atahualpa in Quito and will play the return leg at the Maracanã. Meanwhile, Corinthians must navigate a five-match losing skid in the Campeonato Brasileiro, nearly 3 billion reais in club debt, and mounting uncertainty surrounding the future of head coach Fernando Diniz.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
