Peñarol and Corinthians met at 21h30 Brasília time on Tuesday at the Campeón del Siglo in Montevideo, a Group E clash in the fifth round of the Conmebol Libertadores that carried very different stakes for each side. Ge provided live Tempo Real coverage, while and Disney+ carried the match.
Peñarol entered with only two points and had to win to keep alive its chance of reaching the round of 16. Anything else would end the campaign in front of Diego Aguirre’s supporters. Corinthians arrived unbeaten in the competition and leading Group E, with the chance to add points and lock up first place, which would give it the right to decide knockout rounds at Neo Química Arena.
The Uruguayan side was expected to field a full-strength team despite its fragile position. Its probable lineup included Washington Aguerre, Franco Escobar, Emanuel Gularte, Maximiliano Olivera, Brian Barboza, Gastón Togni, Eric Remedi, Roberto Fernández, Jesús Trindade, Leandro Umpiérrez and Matías Arezo. Lucas Ferreira was suspended, and Javier Cabrera, Nahuel Herrera, Leo Fernández, Franco González and Brandon Álvarez were in the medical department.
Corinthians also was expected to travel to Uruguay close to full strength, but with one notable change at left back, where Matheus Bidu was replaced by Fabrizio Angileri. Carrillo was a possibility to start alongside Breno Bidon and Rodrigo Garro in midfield, while André had lost ground after a run of poor performances. The probable lineup included Hugo Souza, Matheuzinho, Gabriel Paulista, Gustavo Henrique, Fabrizio Angileri, Raniele, Carrillo, Breno Bidon, Rodrigo Garro, Jesse Lingard and Yuri Alberto.
The visitor’s absences were concentrated elsewhere. Matheus Bidu was out with a sprained left ankle, Memphis Depay with calf discomfort and Vitinho with hip pain. João Pedro Tchoca was recovering from surgery for an inguinal hernia, Kayke from surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee and Hugo from surgery on the right meniscus.
Piero Maza was the referee, with Claudio Urrutia and Juan Serrano as assistant referees, Mathias Riquelme as fourth official and Juan Lara on VAR. The night also carried a different note around Yuri Alberto, who was the subject of a farewell mood among supporters, even as Corinthians pushed for the result that would secure its place at the top of Group E.
For Peñarol, the equation was brutally simple: win and stay alive, or fail and go out under Aguirre at home. For Corinthians, the task was to protect an unbeaten run, rebound from a domestic loss that dropped it into the relegation zone the previous Sunday and leave Montevideo still in control of its Libertadores path.
