Athletico Paranaense can potentially seal a place in the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores when they tackle Club Libertad at Arena da Baixada on Tuesday evening.
Paulo Turra's side are sitting pretty at the top of Group F with seven points to their name, while their Paraguayan counterparts are only one point worse off in third place.
Match preview
© Reuters
It is very much all still to play for in Group F of the Copa Libertadores ahead of the final two gameweeks, with all four sides still in with a chance of advancing to the last 16 and at risk of seeing their continental journey end prematurely.
For Brazilian powerhouses Athletico Paranaense - who lost the 2022 final to Flamengo - Turra witnessed his side take seven points from their opening three matches in the group stage, putting them well on course for an early qualification to the next round, but that unbeaten streak came to an end on matchday four.
Facing near neighbours Atletico Mineiro, Paranaense drew first blood through Alex Santana, but the tournament's top scorer Paulinho turned the tie on its head with a brace - including an 87th-minute winner - to blow the section wide open.
Ironically, Paranaense now need Atletico Mineiro to do them a favour, as victory for Turra's men against Libertad coupled with their Brazilian foes beating Alianza Lima would ensure a top-two finish for the Red and Black, who would also progress with a win if Mineiro and Lima shake hands on a draw.
Paranaense's defeat to Mineiro came in the middle of a three-game losing streak, but they have since eliminated Botafogo from the Copa do Brasil on penalties before overcoming the same opponents 1-0 in Saturday's top-flight affair - their seventh win from their last eight home games in all tournaments.
© Reuters
Similarly, there was a goal in the dying embers when Libertad made the trek to Peruvian outfit Alianza Lima on matchday four of the Copa Libertadores, but it was an inconsequential one, as Daniel Garnero's men clung on for a precious three points in a 2-1 triumph.
An own goal from Santiago Garcia and strike from Lorenzo Melgarejo preceded a consolation effort from Yordi Vilchez in added time, but it was too little too late for Lima, as Libertad got back on track on the continent to keep their last-16 hopes alive.
Currently occupying third place - which would drop them down to the Copa Sudamericana - Libertad's fate will not be sealed this week, but a win could guarantee them a top-three finish, while defeat would make it extremely difficult to upset the Brazilian apple cart in the last-16 positions.
The reigning Torneo Apertura champions do not enter this game with a spring in their step either, as their five-match winning streak came to an end in a 2-0 loss to second-placed Cerro Porteno at the weekend, but they still hold a healthy 10-point lead at the top of the division and had two men sent off in the first half of that reverse.
On May 4, Paranaense left Libertad's turf with a 2-1 success to their name - coming from a goal down to prevail thanks to Romulo and Santana's strikes - extending the visitors' winless streak against the Red and Black to four games since a 1-0 triumph in last year's group stage.
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Paranaense midfielder Erick has made a rapid recovery from the injury that forced him off against Mineiro a couple of weeks ago, but Agustin Canobbio was forcibly withdrawn late on in league action at the weekend and might not make the cut.
Attacking midfielder Vitor Bueno will be at Turra's disposal amid a domestic suspension, though, while 38-year-old midfielder Fernandinho (muscle) is sidelined alongside Pablo (hip).
With both Pablo and Canobbio confined to the infirmary, the door could swing open for Thiago Andrade to start out wide, while goalkeeper Mycael has just been eliminated from the Under-20 World Cup with Brazil but should not be back to domestic duties so soon.
Meanwhile, Libertad attacking duo Antonio Bareiro and Bautista Merlini are both recuperating from cruciate ligament injuries, but Garnero should otherwise have all of his troops available for the trip to Brazil.
Striker Adrian Alcaraz and centre-back Alexander Barboza will be present despite seeing red in Saturday's league defeat, but Alfio Oviedo lasted just 40 minutes of their loss to Cerro Porteno, so 41-year-old Roque Santa Cruz and 40-year-old Oscar Cardozo should be primed and ready just in case.
Athletico Paranaense possible starting lineup:
Bento; Madson, Henrique, Heleno, Fernando; Moura, Santana; Andrade, Christian, Cuello; Roque
Club Libertad possible starting lineup:
Silva; Piris, Viera, Barboza, Gimenez; Gomez, Campuzano, Sanabria; Villalba, Oviedo, Melgarejo
We say: Athletico Paranaense 2-1 Club Libertad
One month on from Paranaense's slender success on Libertad soil, we can envisage an identical scoreline at the top-left corner of the TV screen this week, as these two sides never seem to have many problems making the net ripple against one another.
The visitors' league defeat at the weekend should not be taken at face value, but with the Hurricane needing no second invitation to assert their dominance at home, Turra's side can put one foot in the knockout stages on Tuesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
