- Eduardo Domínguez has reached his first international final as Atlético Mineiro manager just months after taking charge of the Belo Horizonte side.
- The Argentine, who previously reached the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Final with Huracán in 2015 (losing on penalties to Independiente Santa Fe), will be aiming for the title to cap a campaign in which he quickly stamped his mark on the Brazilian side.
The 'Barba' has instilled his philosophy at Atlético Mineiro. He has helped several players rediscover their best form, strengthened the team's collective identity and passed on one clear message to everyone in the squad: confidence and conviction are non-negotiable. Guided by that principle, the Brazilian side will travel to Barranquilla to face Boca Juniors in the Final of 'La Gran Conquista' on 21 November at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
“When a player lacks confidence, he avoids certain situations so as not to expose himself, because he doesn't want to make mistakes or hear the crowd booing. He spoke to me a lot and gave me confidence. That confidence has become increasingly evident on the pitch. I owe him a great deal for this moment,” said Bernard, Atlético Mineiro's captain, who had struggled for consistency since returning to the Minas Gerais club in 2024. Since Domínguez's arrival at Mineiro, the 34-year-old forward has shown flashes of his quality again, moved beyond the criticism directed at him and scored five goals in 12 appearances in this year's continental competition.
On 23 August 2015, the former defender made his official managerial debut in charge of Huracán, drawing 0-0 with Lanús in the 21st round of the Argentine league. Less than four months later, after a historic campaign, he led the Parque Patricios side to the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Final, where they lost 3-1 on penalties to Independiente Santa Fe.
More than eleven years later, Domínguez will have another chance to achieve a goal that remains missing from his list of honours: an international title. Almost as if fate had arranged it, the stage will once again be the Final of 'La Gran Conquista' — the trophy that eluded him in the early stages of his managerial career.
It will also be a chance for Atlético Mineiro to put things right. The Belo Horizonte side reached the Final of last year's CONMEBOL Sudamericana but fell just short of lifting the trophy, losing to Lanús on penalties. Their opponents in the decisive match will once again be Argentine. Boca Juniors, champions in 2004 and 2005, will be looking to return to the continental spotlight in what promises to be a fiercely contested clash.
Recent meetings between Eduardo Domínguez and 'Xeneize' have favoured the manager. During his time in charge of Estudiantes de La Plata, with whom he won five trophies, he knocked Boca Juniors out of knockout competitions twice. The first occasion came in the 2023 Copa Argentina semi-finals, when 'Pincha' won 3-2. The second, and most recent, was a penalty shoot-out victory in the 2024 Copa de la Liga semi-finals.
Fate will bring them together once again, this time in a continental final. Will the third meeting bring a third success for Domínguez? Or will the third time be the charm for Boca Juniors?
