26: Coming closer
Copa Libertadores 2025 Grand Final
VH: Señoras y señores, you know the drill. Final de Copa here in the Hernando Siles up here in La Paz!
3,640 metres above sea level, it's Gimnasia again!, this time, playing Flamengo. Your thoughts for the match, Cisco?
FB: Sí, sí, sí, Tín, Gimnasia is at it again! Who could tell that the team that spent almost 100 years without silverware
would be representing Argentina for the third time in four years in the Copa Libertadores Finale?
VH: Well, they say those good things come for the ones who wait, maybe some centennial
viejito is there finally having the time of his life!
FB: or maybe he died in his 90s and had really bad luck!
VH: jajajaja, quizás, Cisco! The director is here telling us to shut up because the information about the teams is about to show up, señoras y señores: the line-ups for today's game:
VH: Cisco! San Esteban
has made a lot of changes for the final in the past years, but no change in the line-up this time!
FB: San Esteban trusts the team that has been playing and he's not wrong! Darío Rojas has been brilliant in the creative sector, and
this formation seems to bring up the best on him. In recent interviews, he's expressed his satisfaction with a formation with two hungry strikers up front, and with
Guerra guarding the defense, the two wing-backs are free to supply them at the wings.
VH: Flamengo seems to come with a line of 5 in the midfield, will they give up on their 4-2-3-1 formation today, Cisco?
FB: I don't think they are doing it, Tin. With this formation, they can easily change back to a two-lined midfield as they fancy. I'd bet that
Iván Sopegno wants to be cautious in the first few minutes, and will change the formation according to the unfolding of the events.
The elegant Anderson Talisca, in that sense, will have to play a little bit to the back of what he's used to, and Nico López will have to run from the back. It will be interesting to see how Flamengo will be able to create.
VH: Are you prepared, Cisco?
FB: Let's do this, Tín!
0'
She's rolling for the last time in the Copa! The Finale of the Copa Libertadores 2025 is underway!
14' 0-0
Belmonte opens to the left to Chan, he has a nice crossing position!
PAULO HENRIQUE ON THE VOLLEY!, blocked by Pereyra
NOW NICO LÓPEZ ON THE VOLLEY!
IT FLIES UP THE BAR!
21' 0-0
Edu.
Chan.
Belmonte.
On the right-wing with Paulo Roberto.
HE FIRES IT!
PEREYRA ON THE BLOCK AGAIN, BUT IT'S STILL ALIVE
PAULO ROBERTO!
IT GOES OVER!
27' 0-0
Nico has it, gives to Belmonte
Belmonte lays left to Edu
HE GETS PAST MARIO ALVAREZ, HAS A GO!
LOSAS!
LOSAS WITH A GOOD SAVE!
38' 0-0
Pesenti puts it back in play
Galeano looks for space,
HE TURNS AROUND BEAUTIFULLY, CROSSES!
BAUZÁ!
Weak, weak, the goalkeeper had no trouble getting to it.
39' 0-0
Belmonte again, Flamengo does not do anything without giving it to him first
Paulo Henrique, plays to Paulo Roberto
PAULO ROBERTO TRIES IT!
LOSAAAAS... LOSAS?
HE FUMBLED IT AND GOT IT BACK OVER THE LINE, THE FLAMENGO PLAYERS ARE CLAIMING A GOAL!
41' 0-0
VH: Cisco, has the VAR officials get to a verdict?
FB:
NO GOAL!
VH:
NO GOAL!
45+2' 0-0
Pereyra tries a long pass to Pesenti
Bad call! Nico intercepts it.
And they come on the counter! Talisca.
TALISCA FINDS EDU WITH A BRILLIANT PASS, HE FIRES IT!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL QUE ES DE FLAMENGO, CISCO!
Edu gets the first goal of the game from a brilliant through ball by Talisca and Gimnasia concedes a goal right before half-time.
FB: No, no, no, Tín, not now!
What a terrible moment to give the ball away on the defensive midfield and concede. Gimnasia has been poor the whole game, and the bad call from Pereyra crowns this performance with a deserved goal.
San Esteban must get his lads back on the pitch with a different attitude for the second half, Tín.
VH: And speaking of which, Cisco, the referee blows the whistle. It is half-time.
Half-time
FB: Los Lobos are not deserving anything better than they have on this game. A poor performance, a few steps behind their opponents and maybe showing that
Brazilians are eager to get back to the top of the continent. Flamengo dominated the actions of the first half, missed a couple of chances, and finally found their goal after Gimnasia made a childish mistake on the exit.
45' 0-1
The second half is underway! Gimnasia has 45 minutes to wake up on this game.
56' 0-1
Alvarez gets it over Edu
Bauzá has it.
HE CROSSES!
Easy save for Ednaldo from Pereyra's header.
57' 0-1
Alvarez gets the throw to Olivera
HE FLIES PAST GERMÁN CHAN
HIS ANGLE IS TIGHT, WILL HE CROSS?
He shoots it and Edvaldo taps it wide
Bad choice from Gimnasia's top scorer
60' 0-1
Belmonte plays it to Talisca
ANOTHER BRILLIANT PASS FROM TALISCA TO EDU
EDU CROSSES, SÉRGIO MURILO!
SUCARI SACRIFICES HIMSELF AND BLOCKS THE SHOT!
62' 0-1
Paulo Henrique to Nico López
He gives it to Paulo Roberto, back to Nico
HE FINDS PAULO HENRIQUE AGAIN IN A GOOD POSITION
HE GOES FOR IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT
WOO HOO HOO THAT WAS CLOSE!
FB: Phew, Tín! Phew! The ball flies millimitres away from the post, I think they'll have to repaint it.
66' 0-1
Substitution for Gimnasia. Alvarez out, Sforza in.
FB: With this substitution, Ariel Kent will play as a wing-back as Sforza will get his spot as a Mezzala.
72'
Substitution for Flamengo. López out, Hlozek in.
FB: I think Nico was tired. Adam Hlozek plays in the same function as Nico.
72' 0-1
Ariel Kent has it. Left to Guerra.
Rojas. Back to Guerra, Gimnasia moves forward as they have to!
Bauzá. Galeano. Olivera
BACK TO GALEANO
HE FIRES IT FROM OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
QUE
ES
DE GIMNASIA!
MARVELOUS! BRILLIANT HIT TO THE TOP LEFT CORNER, NO CHANCES FOR EDVALDO! GALEANO GETS IT BACK, CISCO! WE ARE PRETTY MUCH ALIVE ON THIS CONTENTION!
FB:
PLEASE, NEVER TAKE SAN ESTEBAN FOR GRANTED! Gimnasia came back with a different attitude, much more like it! A brilliant paso-y-me-voy action, no more than one touch to the ball each
with the exception to Galeano, who clears the defender and fires it to the top corner! It's 1-1 and the game is on!
77' 1-1
Double substitution with Flamengo. Wesley Fernandes comes in to replace Germán Chan; and Nicolás Benedetti will replace Paulo Roberto.
FB: we'll see a big formation change now. The two wing-backs are coming to the bench as Flamengo sends a defender and an attacking midfielder on the pitch. They will play on a fluid 3-4-2-1 now.
78' 1-1
Pesenti was feeling tired and will be substituted. Gabriel Herrera comes on.
82' 1-1
Rojas.
Guerra. Paulo Henrique with a tight marking.
Brilliant turn around to give it to Bauzá!
GALEANO! HE OPENS ON THE RIGHT WITH ARIEL KENT!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
QUE ES DE GIMNASIA!
QUE GOLAZO, QUE LO PARIÓ! I FORGOT WORDS! CISCO!
FB:
BRILLIANT, TÍN! ABSOLUTE BRILLIANT! GALEANO OPENED TO THE RIGHT CORNER À LA PELÉ AND ARIEL KENT FIRES IT TO THE OPPOSITE BOTTOM CORNER À LA CARLOS ALBERTO TORRES! A BRILLIANT REPRODUCTION OF ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC GOALS OF ALL TIME! BUT THIS TIME AROUND, ARGENTINA SCORES IT AND BRAZIL SUCKS IT HAHA!
89' 2-1
Ariel Kent is about to be substituted
And here comes the stand ovation!
Kent gets out, Roberto di Santo gets in!
FB: San Esteban subs off his hero today to send in a defensive-minded player. He doesn't want to give it away now.
90' 2-1
Sucari heads it away, but it's not cleared out!
PAULO HENRIQUE FINDS HLOZEK
GOOOOOOOOOO-
The flag's up, it's offside!
FB: Díos mío, thank you Lord for that flag. The decision was correct, Adam Hlozek was offside.
90+2' 2-1
The defender is going nuts, Mammana runs with it through the centre.
Plays it to Bedenetti.
HE GOES FOR IT!
OVER THE BAR!
90+3' 2-1
Rojas recovers the ball and goes for the counter
Sends it down the line to Galeano
GALEANO AVOIDS A CHALLENGE FROM THIAGO MAIA, HIT IT BEAUTIFULLY!
WIIIIIDE!
90+5' 2-1
THE REF WHISTLES IT! GIMNASIA GETS LA TRIPLETA! NOW THEY ARE JUST ONE COPA SHORT OF THEIR RIVALS, WHAT A CATCH-UP!
FB: Los Basureros are getting in this decade what they missed out on their history. Fans: enjoy! This moment is yours!
Match Report /
Competition Review /
Dream Team
Replies
@TheLFCFan there you have it (and sorry for the delay)
@ScottT maybe?
@Jack lifting the Copa Libertadores is always beautiful, innit?
@J_ames I honestly hope I can keep them and do something fun in the next CWC. And yeah, this new stadium will be born with a lot of tradition in there
@OneMoreGame Vélez is stepping up over Boca and River, but I'm glad that we are miles ahead
Clubs with consecutive Copa Libertadores titles:
1) Independiente (4) - 1972-75
2) Estudiantes (3) - 1968-70
3) Gimnasia (2) - 2024-25
Boca Juniors (2) - 2000-01
São Paulo (2) - 1992-93
Santos (2) - 1962-63
Peñarol (2) - 1960-61