Dates set: Conmebol confirms semi-final dates for Vasco v Boca | OneFootball

Conmebol announced this Monday (21) the dates and kickoff times for the semifinals of the Copa Sudamericana and the Copa Libertadores. Vasco will play the first leg against Boca Juniors on October 13, a Tuesday, at 9:30 p.m., at the traditional La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires. The decisive second leg will take place the following week, on October 20, at the same time, with Vasco as the home side in Rio de Janeiro and the venue still to be approved by the continental governing body.

The confirmation of the dates directly affects Cruz-Maltino’s strategy in choosing the Rio venue. With the second leg scheduled for Tuesday night, the club gains a strong argument in its push to play at the Maracanã, since Fluminense plays at the stadium the week before, on the 14th, and Flamengo decides its continental spot just two days later, on October 22, creating an operational window to hold the match without compromising the grass recovery period.

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Semifinal dates and behind the scenes at Vasco

Vasco’s board is also considering the Nilton Santos Stadium as an alternative, as well as trying to secure special permission to play at São Januário, whose approved capacity of around 20,000 fans falls short of the protocol requirement of 30,000 seats for this stage. In addition to stadium logistics planning, the club is celebrating the financial impact achieved in the competition, securing $2.3 million (around R$12 million) in immediate prize money for reaching the tournament’s final four.

A place in the continental final would give the Giant of the Hill’s coffers even more breathing room, as it would guarantee at least another $7 million (around R$36 million) in prize money from the confederation. The South American competition trophy will be decided in a single match on November 28, scheduled for the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Decisive bracket and multimillion-dollar prize money

On the other side of the tournament bracket, Atlético-MG opens its semifinal tie against Montevideo City Torque on October 14 at Arena MRV, with the return leg in Uruguay on October 21. If Vasco and the Minas Gerais representative get past their foreign rivals, the season will feature an all-Brazilian final, confirming the dominance of Brazilian football in international cups as well.

The squad led by head coach Pedro Emanuel is now adjusting its plans with an eye on the grueling stretch between rounds of the Brazilian Championship and the South American semifinal. Vasco fans are organizing travel groups to support the team in the Argentine capital before packing the stands in Rio de Janeiro to push the side in search of a place in the final.

Vasco goes in search of the Sudamericana title – Photo: Disclosure / Conmebol

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