📹 Botafogo loses to Racing at home, suffers another Recopa runner-up defeat | OneFootball

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After losing 2 x 0 in Argentina, Botafogo was again defeated by Racing 2 x 0 (on aggregate, 4 x 0), at Nilton Santos Stadium, this Thursday (27), and ended up as the runner-up of the Conmebol Recopa 2025.

In 1994, the Glorious also became the runner-up of the Recopa after being defeated by São Paulo.

Fluminense remains the last Brazilian champion of the Recopa, winning the unprecedented title in February 2024, at Maracanã.

Botafogo, for its part, repeated rival Flamengo, which was the last Libertadores champion to lose the "final" to the winner of the South American. In this case, in 2023, it was defeated by the Ecuadorians of Independiente del Valle, at Maracanã.

Racing, which was runner-up in 1989, against Nacional, from Uruguay, celebrates its first Recopa title.

🧑‍🏫 New Coach

Before the match started, Botafogo's fans found out that Renato Paiva will be the new coach for the 2025 season.

The Portuguese, who coached Bahia in 2023, will take over the current Brazilian and Libertadores champion to replace compatriot Artur Jorge, who left the club 55 days ago. During this time, Carlos Leiria and Cláudio Caçapa held the position temporarily.

⚽ The Game

The first half was very complicated for the Glorious, who saw Racing accumulate chances to open the scoring.

Before the 25 minutes, the Argentinians had already created, at least, three great opportunities. The luck of the black and whites is that John was inspired that night.

The best chance of the initial stage, however, was from Botafogo. After a free kick from the left, Barboza headed firmly for a great save from the goalkeeper. The ball still exploded on the crossbar.

⏱ Half Time

The return from the locker room was in the worst possible way for Botafogo's fans.

Just four minutes in, Martínez won from Gregore in the attacking field and crossed to the middle of the area. The black and white defense partially cleared, Martirena controlled at the entrance of the area and shot, Barboza cut badly, and the ball was left for Zaracho to shoot across, in the angle, indefensible for John.

The goal suffered shook more the Lone Star Team.

The Argentinians had two more good chances until Telles made a mistake in the defensive field.

Zaracho passed to Martínez, who rolled back to Martirena, who crossed from the right into the area, where Zuculini (23') controlled on the chest and kicked hard to extend.

🙏 Strength Igor Melo

A banner at Nilton Santos Stadium paid tribute to Igor Melo, sectorist and Botafogo fan, who was shot in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro earlier this week.

🤬 Big Boss angry

After the second goal from Racing, the exclusive camera of Espn Brasil caught John Textor, owner of Botafogo's SAF, very angry.

The businessman stood up from his chair, shouted and got up, heading towards the internal part of a box at Nilton Santos.

🚦 What's next

After losing the third possible title in 2025 (was runner-up of the Supercopa do Brasil to Flamengo and did not advance to the semifinals of the Cariocão), Botafogo, which also did not even qualify for the Copa Rio, where it would try for the third consecutive championship, now prepares for the debut in the Brasileirão.

The Glorious begins the journey in the defense of the national title on March 29, against Palmeiras, away from home.

📸 Wagner Meier - 2025 Getty Images