1997 Copa CONMEBOL Finals

Event

1997 Copa CONMEBOL

Lanús	Atlético Mineiro

2	5

First leg

Lanús	Atlético Mineiro
1	4

Date

6 November 1997

Venue

Estadio Ciudad de Lanús, Lanús

Referee

Gustavo Gallesio (Uruguay)

Attendance

15,000

Second leg

Atlético Mineiro	Lanús
1	1

Date

17 September 1997

Venue

Mineirão, Belo Horizonte

Referee

Epifanio González (Paraguay)

Attendance

35,131

← 1996

1998 →

The 1997 Copa CONMEBOL Finals were the final two-legged tie that decided the 1997 Copa CONMEBOL, the sixth edition of Copa CONMEBOL. The finals were contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Argentina's Lanús and Atlético Mineiro from Brazil. The matches were held at the Estadio Ciudad de Lanús, in Lanús, and at the Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte.

It was Lanús's second appearance in the finals of the Copa CONMEBOL, being the defending champions, while Atlético Mineiro reached the finals for the third time. Atlético Mineiro won the tie 5–2 to claim its second title in the competition.

The 1997 final was the first meeting between Atlético Mineiro and Lanús. Both sides went into the final chasing their second Copa CONMEBOL title. Lanús were the defending champions, and Atlético Mineiro had won the competition in 1992 and finished as runner-up in 1995.

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

In the first match, held in Lanús's La Fortaleza on 6 November 1997, the home team opened the scoreline with Ariel Ibagaza, but Atlético Mineiro tied before the end of the second half with Bruno. An own goal by José Serrizuela in the second half gave the Brazilians the lead, followed by two more goals by the visitors, by Hernani and Valdir (who would finish as top goalscorer in the competition). After the end of the match, Lanús's defender Oscar Ruggeri assaulted Atlético Mineiro's Jorginho, and a brawl ensued. Atlético players and staff were trapped against the fence surrounding the pitch and attacked by Lanús players and supporters. Among other injured players and staff in the confrontation, Atlético's head coach Emerson Leão had to undergo surgery after being hit in the face.

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