Cienciano’s exit from the 2026 Copa Sudamericana at the hands of Montevideo City sparked a flare of accusations, with Santiago Arias alleging the Uruguayan club tried to undermine the Peruvian side.
The club’s president later issued an Instagram statement, yet CONMEBOL summoned him for comments, prompting the top figure of the ‘citizens’ to address the controversy that tarnished the institution’s image.
“The allegation was gravely serious,” Javier Nóblega told Sport 890, adding that he believed Arias targeted him as the club’s highest authority and that nothing excuses the player’s remarks.
City Torque players reacted with shock, promptly reaching out to Cienciano, a partner they described as having an excellent relationship, and offered their full cooperation.
After consulting the club’s legal team, Nóblega said they chose the route of having the player retract his statements through the same channels, a move they considered the right one. In my view, the swift apology was a savvy damage‑control move.
With CONMEBOL opening a case against the accused, Montevideo City concluded the matter, stating that public apologies delivered via the player’s platforms satisfied them.
Cienciano enjoyed strong spells in the tournament, especially at home in Cusco’s Inca Garcilaso stadium, where no opponent could dominate, even though they eventually slipped away.
Montevideo City entered the ‘father’s’ ground with a clear goal: avoid a rout. Their resistance waned around the 30‑minute mark of the first‑leg quarterfinal, conceding a goal to Cristian Souza.
Defender Maximiliano Amondarain then struck from distance, widening the gap and making it seem Cienciano would seize control, but the Uruguayans tightened their defence in the closing stages.
The 2‑0 lead gave the ‘imperial’ side a comfortable cushion for the return leg, though it fell short of expectations. Optimism remained for the second match at the Centenario, yet Horacio Melgarejo’s men eventually wilted.
Trouble grew late in the first half when Salomón Rodríguez scored in the 38th minute, pulling Montevideo City within a goal of equalising and setting up a potential penalty shootout. He doubled the tally at 57 minutes with a determined finish.
Cienciano, rattled by the surge, focused on defence to force penalties, but Nahuel Da Silva’s 90th‑minute strike—after beating two defenders and out‑muscling Ítalo Espinoza—sealed the win.