(foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo will face off in an all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final, securing the sixth consecutive title for Brazilian clubs.
The Copa Libertadores is increasingly becoming Brazil’s tournament. Never before has the continent’s premier club competition, established in 1960, seen such a dominant streak from teams of a single country.
The upcoming final on November 30 at the Monumental de Núñez in Buenos Aires will feature Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo, ensuring that the trophy remains in Brazilian hands for a sixth straight year.
The commanding performances by both teams in the semifinals underscored this superiority. Atlético Mineiro, reaching their first final since their 2013 triumph led by Ronaldinho, stunned River Plate on their home turf.
Despite River's substantial investment to return to a final (last reached in 2019), Atlético, under Gaby Milito’s leadership, nearly sealed the deal with a resounding 3-0 win in the first leg and a controlled 0-0 draw at the Monumental, blocking any comeback attempt by the Argentine side.
Botafogo, currently leading the Brasileirao and a top contender for the league title, eliminated Peñarol of Uruguay. They claimed a 5-0 victory in the first leg in Rio de Janeiro and managed a controlled 3-1 defeat at the Centenario in Montevideo to secure their place in the final. With this matchup, Brazil continues to dominate the Copa Libertadores since Conmebol introduced a single-match final format in 2019.
Since then, Brazilian clubs have kept a firm grip on the title, with Flamengo defeating River in 2019, Palmeiras winning back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021, followed by Flamengo in 2022 and Fluminense in 2023.
This year’s final between Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo guarantees a fourth Brazilian champion since 2019, showcasing Brazil’s continued supremacy on the continent beyond the traditional powers of Flamengo and Palmeiras.