Defending Copa Libertadores Champion Botafogo Knocked Out by Liga de Quito

Botafogo, the defending Copa Libertadores champions coached by Davide Ancelotti, was eliminated in the round of 16 by Ecuador's Liga de Quito. Despite winning the first leg 1-0 at home, Botafogo lost the return leg 2-0, with goals from Gabriel Villamil and a penalty by Lisandro Alzugaray. Liga de Quito will advance to face Sao Paulo FC in the quarterfinals. Davide Ancelotti, 35, joined Botafogo in July for his first full-time head coaching role and signed a contract through 2026 following the firing of Renato Paiva. Ancelotti has over a decade of experience working alongside his father at top clubs including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid, and he is part of the coaching staff for Brazil's national team. This exit marks a setback for Ancelotti early in his promising coaching career.