All to play for in Libertadores last-eight hunt - COPA LIBERTADORES
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The identity of the eight quarter-finalists in the 2016 Copa Libertadores will be revealed this week. With the exception of the return leg between Sao Paulo and Toluca, which the Brazilians will go into with a seemingly unassailable lead, all this week’s games look too close to call, making it hard to predict who will stay on in the race for the trophy and a place at this year’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Among the teams in danger of missing out on a last-eight berth are defending champions River Plate. FIFA.com previews the week’s Round-of-16 second-leg matches.
This week’s fixtures (first-leg result in brackets)
Tuesday 3
Atletico Nacional-Huracan (0-0)
Pumas-Tachira (0-1)
Wednesday 4
Atletico Mineiro-Racing Club (0-0)
Toluca-Sao Paulo (0-4)
River Plate-Independiente del Valle (0-2)
Corinthians-Nacional (0-0)
Thursday 5
Rosario Central-Gremio (1-0)
Boca Juniors-Cerro Porteno (2-1)
The big match
River Plate-Independiente del Valle
Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti (El Monumental), 19:15 (local time)
In advancing to the last 16 as the first- and second-placed teams in their respective groups, River Plate and Independiente del Valle both collected 11 points from their six games. And while the holders went into the tie as favourites, their 2-0 defeat in the first leg has left them with much to do if they are to continue their title defence.
“I’m sure we can turn the tie around,” said River coach Marcelo Gallardo, sizing up his side’s chances in the return. “We’re a team that’s always going to score goals. We just have to make sure that they don’t score.”
Gallardo knows what he is talking about. River have one of the most prolific attacks in this year’s competition, having scored 17 goals so far, 11 of them coming at home. In their last home outing in the Copa, however, they conceded three to the already-eliminated Trujillanos.
Making only their third appearance in the competition, the Ecuadorians believe they are on the brink of a unique achievement. “We need to be really focused, especially in the first few minutes,” said Junior Sonoza, their leading scorer with five goals. “If we can control the situation, we can make the most of their need to score and get the goal that could kill the tie off.”
Sonoza and Co picked up four points out of a possible nine on the road in the group phase. Should they repeat any one of the away results they achieved in their section, they will go through to the quarters.
In the spotlight
Sao Paulo were the only one of the four Brazilian teams still in the competition to win their first-leg match. They did so in style, recording an impressive victory that looks to have sealed their place in the next round. Their Argentinian coach Edgardo Bauza is aiming to become the first man to steer three different teams to the Libertadores title, having already won it with Liga Deportiva de Quito in 2008 and San Lorenzo in 2013.
Taking a cautious approach to his side’s visit to Toluca, the experienced Bauza said: “There are still 90 minutes to go. We know we’ve got a decent lead, but it was only the first game. We have to keep our feet on the ground and do our job. We haven’t won anything yet, and we need to stay strong and make sure we don’t get caught off guard.”
Player to watch
Ismael Sosa (Pumas)
The 29-year-old Argentinian-born Mexican striker has helped himself to five goals in six Copa outings so far, though he failed to find the target in the first leg against Deportivo Tachira. Tuesday’s home tie will be an opportune time for Sosa to rediscover his scoring touch, especially with Pumas’ chances of reaching the Liga MX having been dented at the weekend. Going out of both competitions would be a tough blow for Los Felinos, though Sosa, who scored a brace at home against Tachira in the group phase, will be doing all he can to keep their Libertadores run going.
Did you know?
After qualifying from the group phase with the best record, Atletico Nacional have the chance to make history by setting a new Libertadores record for keeping clean sheets. The Colombian side’s 0-0 draw with Huracan in Argentina stretched their run of games without conceding to eight, equalling the tournament record currently held by Boca Juniors, Estudiantes and Sao Paulo, who achieved the feat in 1977, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Can the men from Medellin break the record and clinch a place in the last eight at the same time?
The stat
13 - the number of goals Carlos Tevez has scored for Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores in his career. Thirteen is also the total number of goals El Xeneize have racked up in this year’s competition to date, with El Apache, their top-scorer this season, accounting for four of them. Thirteen also happens to be the combined number of goals scored so far this year by Tevez and his Uruguayan team-mate Nicolas Lodeiro, both of whom were on the scoresheet in the first leg against Cerro Porteno. Lodeiro will have to sit out the rest of the competition, however, having picked up a serious injury.
What they said
“We need to play a really good game because it’s our toughest match of the season to date. We know what we’re capable of and we need to be aggressive, both in technical and tactical terms.”
Gremio defender Ramiro looks ahead to his side’s return match with Central in Rosario