Estudiantes defeat alters Corinthians' KO record at Arena | OneFootball

Neo Química Arena once again hosted a continental knockout match for Corinthians last Wednesday (16). This time, however, the outcome was negative. The 1-0 defeat to Estudiantes-ARG in the Conmebol Libertadores quarterfinals added another chapter to the club’s history in knockout matches in the tournament played in Itaquera.

Before facing the Argentinians, Corinthians had played 85 knockout matches at Neo Química Arena across all competitions, with 50 wins, 22 draws, and 13 losses. With the setback against Estudiantes, that number rose to 86 matches, with 50 wins, 22 draws, and 14 losses.

Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel / Ag. Corinthians

Timão’s overall success rate in this type of match at the stadium, which had been 67.45%, dropped to approximately 66.7%. When considering only the Libertadores, however, the picture is more balanced. Since Neo Química Arena opened in 2014, Corinthians have played nine knockout matches in South America’s top club competition.

Corinthians have four wins in nine matches

The first Libertadores knockout match played by Corinthians at their new home took place in 2015. In the preliminary stage of that edition, the Alvinegro thrashed Once Caldas-COL 4-0. Months later, in the round of 16, they lost 1-0 to Guaraní-PAR and were eliminated.

The following season brought another decisive setback. After drawing 0-0 with Nacional-URU away from home, Corinthians drew 2-2 in Itaquera and were once again knocked out in the round of 16.

In 2018, Timão beat Colo-Colo 2-1 at Neo Química Arena. The result, however, was not enough to overturn the 1-0 loss suffered in Chile, and the Chilean side advanced on the away goals rule, which was still in use at the time.

Two years later, Guaraní crossed the Alvinegro’s path again in a preliminary round. Corinthians won the match in São Paulo 2-1, but had lost 1-0 in Paraguay and were once again eliminated on the old away goals rule.

From Boca Juniors to Estudiantes

The next Libertadores knockout match at the Arena came in 2022. In the round of 16, Corinthians and Boca Juniors drew 0-0 in Itaquera. Corinthians would later secure qualification at La Bombonera after another goalless draw and a penalty shootout win.

In the quarterfinals that same year, Flamengo beat Timão 2-0 in São Paulo and took the lead in the tie. The Rio side also won the second leg, in Rio de Janeiro, 1-0.

In 2025, Corinthians played two home matches in the Libertadores preliminary rounds. First, they beat Universidad Central-VEN 3-2. In the next stage, they defeated Barcelona de Guayaquil-EQU 2-0, but the comeback was not enough to erase the 3-0 loss suffered in Ecuador.

Then in 2026, the first continental knockout match at Neo Química Arena ended in qualification. After drawing in Argentina, Corinthians beat Rosario Central 1-0 in the round of 16, even while playing with one man less for part of the second half.

The scenario was different in the quarterfinals. After a 1-1 draw with Estudiantes in La Plata, Timão needed a win in Itaquera to advance directly. The Argentinians scored late in the match and won 1-0. Corinthians were still awarded a penalty in stoppage time, but Memphis Depay sent the kick over the bar. As a result, Estudiantes closed out the tie 2-1 on aggregate.

With the 2025 matches included, the total actually comes to 11 Libertadores knockout matches at Neo Química Arena, not nine. There have been six wins, two draws, and three losses, with approximately 60.6% of the points won.

Despite winning more than half of those matches in Itaquera, the record also shows one particular detail: winning at home has not always meant advancing. Colo-Colo in 2018, Guaraní in 2020, and Barcelona de Guayaquil in 2025 managed to eliminate Corinthians even after losing at Neo Química Arena.

In 2026, the elimination against Estudiantes ended Corinthians’ campaign in the quarterfinals. The club therefore remains without returning to the Libertadores semifinals since 2012, the season in which they won the tournament unbeaten.

See Corinthians’ Libertadores knockout matches at Neo Química Arena

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