15 years since the third Libertadores triumph | OneFootball

Gabriel Pierin, from the Memory Center

Santos’s 2011 Copa Libertadores de América triumph marked the club’s return to the top of South America’s main continental competition after 48 years. The title was secured on June 22, when the team defeated Peñarol 2–1 at Pacaembu Stadium in São Paulo, in front of 40,157 fans. It was the third Libertadores title in Santos’s history, matching the achievements of 1962 and 1963.

The campaign began unevenly. Having qualified for the competition by winning the 2010 Copa do Brasil, Santos made its debut on February 15 with a scoreless draw against Deportivo Táchira in Venezuela. On March 2, the team drew again, this time 1–1 with Cerro Porteño at Vila Belmiro. Elano opened the scoring with a penalty nine minutes into the second half, but Edu Dracena conceded a penalty in stoppage time, allowing the Paraguayan side to equalize.

The result worsened the team’s situation. With fewer than nine thousand paying fans at Vila Belmiro, on a night marked by rain and high ticket prices, head coach Adilson Batista was dismissed. Assistant coach Marcelo Martelotte took over on an interim basis.

On March 16, Santos was defeated 3–2 by Colo Colo in Santiago. Elano scored with a long-range free kick, but the Chilean side responded and claimed the victory. After three matches, the club had only two points and had yet to win in the competition.

Faced with this difficult situation, the board hired Muricy Ramalho. Before his official debut, the coach watched Santos beat Colo Colo 3–2 at Vila Belmiro. The match seemed settled when Neymar scored the third goal and celebrated by wearing a mask with his own image, which got him sent off. Zé Eduardo and Elano were also shown red cards. Down to eight men, Santos conceded two late goals and nearly allowed an equalizer.

The decisive group-stage match took place on April 14, the date of the club’s 99th anniversary. Without Neymar, Elano, and Zé Eduardo, all suspended, Santos faced Cerro Porteño in Asunción needing a win to keep its qualification hopes alive. Muricy brought back Paulo Henrique Ganso, recovered from injury, and started Diogo and Keirrison up front.

With a tactically disciplined performance, the team won 2–1. Danilo opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a long-range strike. Early in the second half, Ganso sent Maikon Leite through, and he doubled the lead. Cerro scored only in stoppage time. In the following round, Santos secured qualification by defeating Deportivo Táchira 3–1 at the Pacaembu, with goals from Neymar, Jonathan, and Danilo. Colo Colo’s loss to Cerro Porteño in Santiago guaranteed Santos a place in the round of 16.

In the round of 16, the opponent was Club América of Mexico. Santos won 1–0 at Vila Belmiro, with a goal from Paulo Henrique Ganso, and drew 0–0 in Querétaro, advancing thanks in part to an outstanding performance by goalkeeper Rafael.

The stage also coincided with the elimination of the other Brazilian clubs in the competition. Cruzeiro, Internacional, Fluminense, and Grêmio were all knocked out in the round of 16, giving Santos the advantage of deciding the following ties at home.

In the quarterfinals, the opponent was Once Caldas of Colombia. Santos won 1–0 in Manizales, with a goal from Alan Patrick, and drew 1–1 at the Pacaembu, where Neymar scored the goal that secured qualification.

In the semifinal, Santos met Cerro Porteño again. In the first leg, played at the Pacaembu, Edu Dracena scored the only goal in Santos’s 1–0 win. In the return leg in Asunción, Santos took a 3–1 lead before halftime, with goals from Zé Eduardo, Neymar, and an own goal by Barreto. Cerro responded and equalized at 3–3, but the result sent the Brazilian club through to the final.

The final pitted Santos against Peñarol, repeating the decisive Libertadores clash of 1962. In the first leg, played at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the teams drew 0–0 in front of around 60,000 fans.

The title was decided at the Pacaembu. In the very first minute of the second half, Arouca exchanged passes with Paulo Henrique Ganso and set up Neymar, who opened the scoring. In the 23rd minute, Danilo doubled the lead after an individual run down the right. Peñarol pulled one back in the 34th minute through an own goal by Durval, but could not avoid a 2–1 defeat.

With the victory, Santos won its third Copa Libertadores de América. The title cemented Neymar as the team’s main star and gave international prominence to players such as Danilo and Alex Sandro, who also became regular names in the Brazilian national team and are part of the World Cup squad. Under Muricy Ramalho, the club ended a continental drought of nearly five decades and returned to the ranks of the champions of South America’s top club competition.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.