The teams will face off at the Monumental de Núñez in Buenos Aires next Saturday, the 30th.
The moment is now. A month after the semifinal duels, the Libertadores final has arrived. Botafogo and Atlético-MG will face off next Saturday, the 30th, at the Monumental de Núñez stadium in Buenos Aires. Botafogo is aiming for its first-ever title, while Atlético-MG is seeking its second championship. See the top football results at football live scores.
In 12 matches so far, Artur Jorge’s team has achieved five wins, four draws, and three losses – not counting the pre-Libertadores. In the group stage, they barely qualified in second place with 10 points in a group that included Junior Barranquilla, LDU, and Universitario.
In the round of 16, they faced a tough opponent: Palmeiras, coached by Abel Ferreira. After winning 2-1 at Nilton Santos, Botafogo drew 2-2 at Allianz Parque and advanced. In the quarterfinals, another tough challenge: the three-time champions São Paulo. After a 0-0 draw in Rio de Janeiro, Botafogo went ahead at Morumbi but conceded an equalizer, taking the match to penalties.
Then came the biggest positive surprise in the semifinals. After a tough first half, Botafogo thrashed Peñarol 5-0 in front of their fans and, already almost through to the final, rested some players and was defeated 3-1 in Montevideo.
As for Atlético-MG, they dominated. In a group with Peñarol, Rosario Central, and Caracas, the Minas Gerais team had the second-best campaign, earning 15 points with five wins and just one loss. In the round of 16, they faced a surprisingly difficult challenge from San Lorenzo, securing qualification with a 1-1 draw in Argentina and a 1-0 win at Arena MRV.
In the quarterfinals, Gabriel Milito’s team eliminated the current Libertadores champions. After losing 1-0 to Fluminense, Atlético-MG won 2-0 at home, sealing their spot in the semifinals. Then came the biggest surprise. Facing the team with the best group-stage campaign, River Plate, Atlético-MG delivered a 3-0 thrashing in the first leg in Minas Gerais and held on to a 0-0 draw in the return leg to reach the final after 11 years.
If they win, the Minas team will join clubs like Internacional and Cruzeiro, who have won the Glória Eterna twice. On the other hand, if Botafogo wins, they will join the ranks of the champions of South America’s most prestigious club tournament. ToSport, your dependable source for match updates.
