How Peñarol shape up to face Corinthians in the Copa Libertadores | OneFootball

Corinthians host Peñarol on the night of this Thursday (30) at Neo Química Arena. The match, valid for the third round of Group E of the 2026 Copa Libertadores, kicks off at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) in Itaquera. The visiting side comes into the clash going through a difficult spell, despite having recently won a title.

The Uruguayan team heads into the match amid an inconsistent run this season. They are on a five-game winless streak, with three defeats and two draws, and were also eliminated in the Copa da Liga semifinals. On the other hand, they won the Uruguayan Super Cup and currently sit third in the domestic league.

Peñarol’s season began on January 12, when they beat Central Español 5-3 on penalties after a draw in regular time in the Copa da Liga round of 16. Five days later, even with a man down, they defeated Racing 1-0 in the quarterfinals. However, they were eliminated in the semifinals on January 23 after drawing 2-2 with Boston River and losing 4-2 in the shootout.

The elimination, combined with performances below expectations, increased the pressure on head coach Diego Aguirre, who had previously been considered for the Corinthians job. Even so, the coach managed to bounce back by winning the Uruguayan Super Cup. On February 1, Peñarol faced Nacional at Estadio Centenario in a rematch of the 2025 Uruguayan Championship final. After a scoreless draw in regular time in a match marked by many bookings, the decision went to penalties, and the black-and-gold side won 4-2, securing the title and easing the pressure on Aguirre.

After that, Peñarol made a positive start to the Uruguayan Championship, with seven wins, two losses and one draw in the first ten rounds. However, the team lost momentum and now sits in third place with 23 points, seven behind leaders Racing. Their Libertadores campaign has also been inconsistent: they drew 1-1 away to Independiente Santa Fe in the opener and then lost 2-1 at home to Platense, leaving them third in the group with just one point.

Considering all competitions, the Uruguayan club has not won in five matches. Their last victory came on April 4, when they beat Progreso 2-0, a team currently sitting 14th among the 16 participants in the national league.

In addition, the defeat to Wanderers on April 26 ended any mathematical chance of winning the Apertura Tournament, which ultimately went to Racing. In light of the recent results, Diego Aguirre described the moment as “complicated” and admitted the team has delivered performances well below par, especially in attack. The coach arrives under pressure for the clash against Corinthians and could be dismissed in the event of another setback.

The match also marks a reunion for right-back Pedro Milans. The player joined Corinthians at the start of the season on a free transfer after playing for Peñarol since 2022. His debut for the Uruguayan club only came in September of that year, against Boston River in the Copa da Liga. From then on, he gained continuity and established himself as a starter.

Over four seasons, Milans increased his involvement, reaching his peak in 2025 with 42 appearances. In addition to domestic tournaments, he also gained international experience, with four matches in the Copa Sudamericana and 16 in the Libertadores — six of them against Brazilian teams such as Flamengo, Botafogo and Atlético-MG.

His spell at Peñarol ended in December 2025, when no agreement was reached over a contract renewal due to salary issues. In total, he played 112 matches, scored three goals and provided eight assists, in addition to winning the 2024 Uruguayan Championship and the 2025 Copa da Liga.

For Corinthians, the full-back has made six appearances, with three wins and three draws. Even so, he has lost space since the arrival of head coach Fernando Diniz. Last Sunday, even with Matheuzinho absent in the 1-0 win over Vasco in the 13th round of the Brasileirão, Diniz chose to deploy Raniele at right-back instead of using the Uruguayan.

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