2020 Copa Libertadores final


The 2020 Copa Libertadores final was the final match which decided the winner of the 2020 Copa Libertadores, the 61st edition of the Copa Libertadores, South America's top-tier continental club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL. The match was played on 30 January 2021 at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Brazilian teams Palmeiras and Santos.
The final was originally scheduled to be played on 21 November 2020. However, as the tournament had been interrupted since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CONMEBOL announced on 10 July 2020 that the final would be rescheduled to be played in late January 2021, with 23, 24 or 30 January being the possible dates. Eventually, on 23 November 2020, CONMEBOL confirmed that the final would be played on 30 January 2021.
Palmeiras defeated Santos 1–0 to win their second Copa Libertadores title. As champions, Palmeiras qualified for the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, and earned the right to play against the winners of the 2020 Copa Sudamericana in the 2021 Recopa Sudamericana. They also automatically qualified for the 2021 Copa Libertadores group stage.
As of 2025, this was the only Copa Libertadores final decided in a Brazilian derby, as both clubs represent the state of São Paulo.
Due to pandemic precautions, attendance was limited to 5,000 spectators.

Venue

The second Copa Libertadores final played as a single match at a pre-determined venue was held at Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This was the 34th Copa libertadores final match to take place in Brazil, and the fifth to took place in Rio de Janeiro, four of them at Maracanã and one at Estádio São Januário. The Maracanã had previously hosted the first leg of the 1963 and 1981 finals and the second leg of the 2008 finals.

Host selection

On 15 October 2019, CONMEBOL announced eight venues from three national associations that reached the final stage of the bidding process to host the 2020 final:
AssociationStadiumCityCapacityNotes
Estadio Mario Alberto KempesCórdoba57,000Also bid and selected to host the 2020 Copa Sudamericana final.
MineirãoBelo Horizonte61,846
Arena do GrêmioPorto Alegre55,662
Estádio Beira-RioPorto Alegre50,128
Estádio do MaracanãRio de Janeiro78,838
Estádio do MorumbiSão Paulo67,052
Arena CorinthiansSão Paulo49,205
Estadio NacionalLima50,000Also bid to host the 2020 Copa Sudamericana final.

On 17 October 2019, CONMEBOL announced that Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was chosen as the 2020 final venue during a meeting of its Council. The Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba, Argentina ended up being selected to host the 2020 Copa Sudamericana final.

Teams

Road to the final

''Note: In all scores below, the score of the home team is given first.''

Pre-match

Opening ceremony

and Mariana Rios from Brazil along with Porno Graffitti, Superfly, fripSide, Takanori Nishikawa, Raychell, and One Ok Rock from Japan were part of a major live performance in a thirty-minute virtual show before the kick-off.

Setlist

  • "Mugen"
  • "Tamashii Revolution"
  • "Only My Railgun"
  • "Kakumei Dualism "
  • "We Are"

    Match

Summary

The most memorable moment is the last 8 minutes of added time in the second half. The Santos manager, Cuca, was sent off at 90+6th minute for hassling the ball to delay Palmeiras' throw-in. The only goal of the game came in the 9th minute of second-half stoppage time, from substitute Breno Lopes, scoring with a looping header to the top right corner of the net from seven yards out after a cross from the right by Rony.

Details