Flamengo Files Formal Protest Over Marcos Rojo After Copa Libertadores Elimination
The Flamengo legal team formally petitioned the CONMEBOL disciplinary chamber on Friday, October 23, 2026, seeking to overturn their Copa Libertadores semifinal elimination and claim a 3-0 administrative victory against Estudiantes. LANCE! reported that the Rio de Janeiro club argues defender Marcos Rojo played the second leg at the Maracanã under provisional protection rather than a definitive registration, pointing to Article 19 of the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code. Estudiantes won the semifinal tie 3-2 on penalties on Thursday, October 22, 2026, after a scoreless draw in regulation time, and advanced to face Palmeiras in the November 28 final.
Timeline of the Registration Dispute and Court Injunctions
The eligibility battle centers on a swift sequence of October decisions. On October 9, 2026, Estudiantes requested CONMEBOL approval to register Rojo for the semifinal as an injury replacement, according to reporting by CNN Brasil. Because the Argentine transfer window had closed on September 2 and Rojo had played official matches for Racing until September 27, CONMEBOL rejected the request on October 14 and reaffirmed that decision on October 15. Unwilling to accept the ruling, Estudiantes appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, naming Flamengo as a party to the proceedings on October 16, as detailed by UOL.
On October 21, the CAS issued a provisional measure granting Rojo temporary clearance to play the second leg. However, CNN Brasil noted that the tribunal denied Estudiantes‘ request to shield the club from subsequent sporting and disciplinary consequences, placing the legal risk squarely on the Argentine club and the player. Flamengo maintained that it informed both the CAS and Estudiantes before kickoff that any appearance by Rojo would trigger an immediate protest under competition rules.
Historical Precedents in CONMEBOL Tribunals
Flamengo’s legal strategy draws direct parallels to past continental rulings, most notably the 2018 round-of-16 tie between Santos and Independiente. In that case, CONMEBOL upheld a protest from the Argentine side, altered a scoreless first-leg draw into a 3-0 forfeit victory, and sanctioned Santos for fielding suspended midfielder Carlos Sánchez.
NOTA OFICIALO Clube de Regatas do Flamengo esclarece que não deu início a nenhum procedimento relativo à inscrição do atleta Marcos Rojo pelo Club Estudiantes de La Plata na CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026.Em 9 de outubro, o Estudiantes solicitou à CONMEBOL a inclusão do atleta em… pic.twitter.com/jXksEide2u
Not all historical challenges resulted in disqualifications, however. In 2018, River Plate deployed Bruno Zuculini despite a lingering suspension, but escaped sanction because opposing clubs failed to file complaints within the mandatory 24-hour window, and because CONMEBOL had previously given River erroneous administrative clearance. Boca Juniors faced similar scrutiny over Ramón Ábila that same season, but Libertad lodged its challenge too late to overturn the result. For the current 2026 case, Brasil 247 reported that Estudiantes faced a deadline of Monday, October 26, at 18:00 Brasília time to submit its formal defense to the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Committee.
CONMEBOL Disciplinary Chamber Will Rule on Estudiantes Case
With Estudiantes’ defense due by Monday evening, the case moves to the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Chamber for a merits ruling. While Flamengo insists its action aims strictly to enforce tournament regulations rather than secure a result through administrative channels, independent legal analysts cited by CNN Brasil consider an immediate overturning of the semifinal before the November 28 final highly improbable without Estudiantes’ consent. Until the disciplinary body issues a binding verdict, the official match result stands, leaving Estudiantes officially slated to meet Palmeiras for the 2026 Copa Libertadores title.
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