CONMEBOL has finalized the refereeing assignments for the second leg of the Libertadores and Sudamericana Round of 16, with 12 Brazilian teams in action next week as they fight for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) announced on Friday evening, August 14, the refereeing crews for the decisive Round of 16 clashes in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. The move aims to ensure transparency and proper preparation for the knockout stage, which promises intense duels.
With a total of 12 Brazilian clubs involved across both competitions, the upcoming week is critical. Spots in the quarterfinals will be contested between Tuesday (18) and Thursday (20), with each match taking on added significance now that the officials have been named.
Brazilian Refereeing in the Spotlight
Among the officials from Brazil, only Wilton Pereira Sampaio has been assigned as the head referee, with Daniel Nobre serving as the VAR official. The Brazilian duo will oversee the match between Deportes Tolima and Independiente Del Valle.
Interestingly, this will be the first leg, not the second, due to a postponement caused by an earthquake that struck Colombia, which disrupted the original competition schedule. A similar situation occurred in the Sudamericana with the matchup between Santa Fe and River Plate.
Libertadores Decisions
The complete list of referees for the second leg of the Libertadores has been released, revealing the names tasked with officiating the most anticipated matches.
For the duel between Independiente Rivadavia and Fluminense, Colombian Andres Rojas will be the head referee, with Leonard Mosquera on VAR.
The clash between Cerro Porteño and Palmeiras will be officiated by Argentine Facundo Tello, assisted by Hector Paletta on video duty.
In the national clash between Flamengo and Cruzeiro, the responsibility will lie with Uruguayan Gustavo Tejera, with Andres Cunha handling VAR.
Meanwhile, Corinthians versus Rosario Central will feature Venezuelan Alexis Herrera, with Nicolas Gallo in the VAR booth.
The Mirassol match against LDU Quito will be refereed by Argentine Yael Falcón, with Jorge Baliño managing VAR.
Final Sudamericana Clashes
The Copa Sudamericana also had its refereeing assignments set for the second leg fixtures.
São Paulo will face Bolívar with Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega, and Diego Haro in the VAR.
In the matchup between Atlético-MG and Red Bull Bragantino, Argentine Maximiliano Ramirez will lead the match, with Silvio Trucco on VAR.
Vasco, in turn, will have their game against Olimpia officiated by Uruguayan Esteban Ostojich, with Antonio Garcia on VAR.
Santos will have Chilean Cristian Garay as the referee against Macará, with Rodrigo Carvajal on VAR.
And Botafogo will play against Cienciano under the command of Paraguayan Juan G. Benitez, with Ulises Mereles on VAR.
The determination of the officiating crews by CONMEBOL is a crucial step for the knockout stage, highlighting the importance and high expectations surrounding these matches. With several Brazilian clubs still in the running, the referees’ performances will be closely monitored, as they could directly influence the outcome of the Round of 16. The results next week will determine which teams advance, keeping the excitement of the continental competitions alive.
