Botafogo midfielder Allan Marques has been identified as the player who struck Cienciano coach Horacio Melgarejo after the final whistle of their Copa Sudamericana match, according to the referee's report submitted to CONMEBOL, South American football's governing body.
Cienciano's victory over Botafogo sent the Peruvian club through to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, but the result was overshadowed by a brawl that broke out at the Estadio Nilton Santos once the match ended. Players from both sides became involved in the scuffle, during which Melgarejo was attacked.
Referee's report names Allan Marques
Paraguayan referee Juan Benitez filed his report with CONMEBOL in the days following the match. According to journalist Gustavo Peralta Coello, who cited the document, Marques was identified as the player responsible for hitting Melgarejo during the post-match confrontation. The report also recorded that the Brazilian midfielder was sent off for violent conduct.
Peralta Coello said the report did not attribute any blame to Melgarejo or to any Cienciano player for the incident. Benitez's account instead stated that the midfielder struck the Argentine coach and then hit another person connected to the Cusco-based club.
Peralta wrote on the social media platform X that this account ruled out the version suggesting the Argentine coach had provoked or said something that triggered the incidents.
Melgarejo describes the attack
Melgarejo addressed the episode days later upon arriving in Lima, confirming he had been struck during the brawl. He said he knew exactly who had thrown the punch, though he chose not to name the player publicly at that point.
Melgarejo told the programme L1 MAX that he knew who had hit him. He said he managed to dodge a second blow aimed at him, but the movement tore off a chain he had been wearing.
He said losing the chain was what hurt him most, since it carried a small cross that belonged to his grandson.
Coach says players provoked the clash
Melgarejo said two players and one member of the technical staff were the ones who initially provoked the conflict. He said one of those involved from the technical area was Argentine and behaved in a particularly agitated manner during the incidents that followed the match.
Background on the competition
The Copa Sudamericana is South America's second-tier continental club competition, organised by CONMEBOL alongside the more prestigious Copa Libertadores. Botafogo is a Brazilian club based in Rio de Janeiro, while Cienciano is a Peruvian club based in Cusco.
Cienciano's run in the tournament continues in the quarterfinals, where they are set to play the first leg against Uruguayan club Montevideo City Torque.
