- The Cusco-based side will face Atlético Mineiro, Academia Puerto Cabello and Juventud in Group B of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
- The memory of the heroic feat in the 2003 CONMEBOL Sudamericana is always present.
Every time Cienciano (Peru) qualifies for an international competition, the collective memory of football fans is automatically stirred, reviving a moment that resonates deeply within Peruvian football in particular and across the continent as a whole.
The feeling is unmistakable: the echoes of that 2003 triumph, when they lifted the CONMEBOL Sudamericana trophy, remain forever etched in everyone’s memory.
The Cusco side defied all expectations, eliminating Santos of Robinho (Brazil) in the quarterfinals and Colombia’s Atlético Nacional in the semifinals. With authority, they defeated River Plate (Argentina) in an unforgettable final, with a 4-3 aggregate score, to deliver Peruvian football the only international title in its history.
Forward Germán Carty, the tournament’s top scorer with six goals, was the standout figure of the Inca side, which also relied on Óscar Ibáñez—its goalkeeper and captain—as a fundamental pillar in the campaign that crowned the team led by Freddy Ternero.
Nearly a year later, the Cusco side faced Boca Juniors in the twelfth edition of the CONMEBOL Recopa Sudamericana: after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes, Cienciano secured the title in a penalty shootout (4-2), stringing together two trophies against continental giants.
Following their Round of 16 exit in the 2025 CONMEBOL Sudamericana against Bolivia’s Bolívar—their second-best campaign after the 2003 triumph—El Papá is hopeful of continuing its positive run in Peru’s Liga 1 after adding new names to the squad, with the current semester’s dual competition in mind.
Returning to the international stage is the first step toward ensuring that the 2003 feat is no longer just a memory, but becomes a tangible aspiration. Cienciano reached the group stage after eliminating Melgar (Peru) on penalties in the preliminary phase, following a 1-1 draw.
The objective of Argentine coach Horacio Melgarejo, who has been in charge of Cienciano since December 2025, will be to recover those remnants of the champion side in order to once again captivate the older generations, while also giving younger fans the chance to become part of a story that has yet to be finished.
In the context of a competition that always leaves the door open to pleasant surprises and unexpected upsets, the Peruvian side has the perfect excuse to unleash its hope. In the March 19 draw, they learned that they will face Brazil’s Atlético Mineiro, Venezuela’s Academia Puerto Cabello, and Uruguay’s Juventud.
