The semifinal showdown between Vasco da Gama and Boca Juniors remains surrounded by uncertainty. As of Monday, October 12, just eight days before the second leg, the Brazilian club still does not have a definitively approved stadium for its home match.
Vasco-Boca: Maracanã Confirmed, Blocked and Once Again Left in Limbo
Eight days before the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinals, Vasco still does not know which stadium will host Boca. CONMEBOL has extended the deadline until noon on Tuesday, October 13.
The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, at 9:30 PM in Rio de Janeiro. The host city can no longer be changed, but the venue remains under discussion.
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From Official Announcement to Another Suspension
On Friday, October 9, Vasco secured a favorable court ruling requiring the Fla-Flu Consortium to make Maracanã available. The club announced the news on social media, CONMEBOL added the stadium to its official schedule, and ticket sales began immediately.
The response from fans was overwhelming: Vasco sold approximately 45,000 tickets within a few hours.
However, the confirmation lasted less than a day.
On Saturday, October 10, a new ruling from the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice suspended the decision authorizing the use of Maracanã. The ruling questioned the jurisdiction of the judge who had approved its use and also considered the operational and security concerns raised by the Fla-Flu Consortium.
On that same October 20, Flamengo and Botafogo are scheduled to play a basketball game at Maracanãzinho, located within the same sports complex.
Scheduling Conflicts and Protecting the Field
The stadium's management consortium, made up of Flamengo and Fluminense, refuses to make the venue available because of the tight schedule between different events.
Vasco-Boca is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, while Flamengo will host Estudiantes de La Plata on Thursday, October 22, also in the second leg of a continental semifinal, although in this case in the Copa Libertadores.
Using Maracanã would leave just 48 hours to restore the grass before a decisive match for Flamengo, one of the clubs that manages and regularly uses the stadium.
The current forecast calls for cloudy skies and possible rain in Rio de Janeiro during that week. Although conditions could still change, the possibility of rainfall has increased concerns about preserving the playing surface.
The most recent precedent came in February, when Flamengo and Lanús played the Recopa Sudamericana in relentless rain. The match lasted 120 minutes, and the field ended up completely waterlogged.
Vasco Returns to Court
On Monday, Vasco filed a new request to regain authorization to play at Maracanã. The Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor's Office also requested that the suspension be reconsidered, arguing that the stadium offers better security conditions for hosting a major international match expected to attract a large crowd.
With no final ruling in place, CONMEBOL extended the deadline: Vasco must confirm the venue by noon on Tuesday, October 13.
The ultimatum will coincide with the day of the first leg of the series. That same evening, Boca will host Vasco at La Bombonera.
Rio de Janeiro Remains the Only Certainty
For Boca fans, there is at least one certainty: the second leg cannot be moved to another city.
Vasco had explored the possibility of using Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília and Arena da Amazônia in Manaus. The first option would have moved the decisive match nearly 1,000 kilometers away from Rio, while the second would have taken it much farther.
However, the regulatory deadline for changing the host city has passed, and Vasco itself confirmed that the match will remain in Rio de Janeiro.
If the club cannot regain access to Maracanã, Nilton Santos Stadium once again emerges as the immediate alternative. It meets the capacity and security requirements, although its artificial turf has generated resistance within the Brazilian squad.
With one week remaining before the second leg, few things are certain: the match will take place on Tuesday, October 20, it will be played in Rio de Janeiro, and Boca will finally learn the venue on Tuesday. Maracanã or Nilton Santos: the saga is entering its final hours.
