- Champions of South America’s major competitions in 2024, La Academia and O Glorioso were the protagonists of the following year’s CONMEBOL Recopa.
- Now, in 2026, the two clubs meet again in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Group Stage.
On Thursday (19), the city of Luque, Paraguay, hosted the draw for the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana. One of the matchups determined was Racing against Botafogo in Group E, which also includes Caracas (Venezuela) and Independiente (Bolivia). The most recent meeting between the Argentine and Brazilian sides dates back to 2025, in the CONMEBOL Recopa, where La Academia came out on top.
Racing reached that title clash after winning the 2024 CONMEBOL Sudamericana, while Botafogo earned its place by claiming its first CONMEBOL Libertadores crown. In an intense first leg at the “Cilindro” in Avellaneda, the home side controlled proceedings and opened the scoring in the 31st minute through a penalty converted by Luciano Vietto. In the 18th minute of the second half, Adrián “Maravilla” Martínez extended the lead with a composed finish, sealing the result in the opening match of the series.
Racing went on to confirm its dominance in the return leg, winning 2–0 again in Brazil to secure the title with a commanding 4–0 aggregate score.
At the Nilton Santos, Racing was not unsettled by the opponent’s home advantage and once again displayed greater control of the game, creating the most dangerous chances—despite coming close to conceding after a shot struck the post following a miraculous save by goalkeeper Arias. Still, La Academia opened the scoring five minutes into the second half, when a rebound in the box fell to Zaracho, who finished with a superb strike.
Twenty-five minutes later, in the 30th minute of the second half, Zuculini sealed the match and secured another continental title for the team managed by Gustavo Costas.
Despite their recent defeat to Flamengo in the 2025 CONMEBOL Libertadores semifinal, Racing’s recent record against Brazilian sides holds a special place in the hearts of their supporters: during their 2024 CONMEBOL Sudamericana title run, La Academia eliminated Athletico Paranaense in the quarterfinals, Corinthians in the semifinals, and were crowned champions against Cruzeiro with a convincing 3–1 victory.
For their part, Botafogo—although they did not face Argentine clubs on their path to the CONMEBOL Libertadores title—retain fond memories of Argentina: it was at the Monumental in Núñez where they defeated Atlético Mineiro to achieve “Eternal Glory” for the first time.
