Verdict: Palmeiras win
Best Odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Signing off their Group F adventure late on Thursday night, Palmeiras will welcome San Lorenzo to the Allianz Parque.
Palmeiras
Starting with the hosts, making real history last season as they successfully defended their Serie A crown, Palmeiras have firmly cemented their spot as a major South American powerhouse. Last seen in Copa Libertadores action claiming a 2-1 victory at home against Independiente del Valle, the Big Green have cruised their way to the knockout stage without breaking much of a sweat. Collecting 13 points from their five Group F appearances this year and pencilled in as a standout contender, Abel Ferreira’s men will simply be looking to make another statement of intent here. Despite failing to pick up any real momentum last weekend as they had to settle for a 0-0 stalemate away at Botafogo SP, Palmeiras have suffered just a single defeat from any of their previous nine appearances across all competitions.
Team News
Both still dealing with respective long-term injury issues, Palmeiras will once again be unable to call upon the duo of Bruno Rodrigues and Brazilian striker Dudu late on Thursday night. However, heading into their final Group F showdown in midweek, the Big Green have no fresh concerns to worry about.
With a famous move to Spanish icons Real Madrid already set for this summer, 17-year-old sensation Endrick will spearhead Palmeiras’ charge in what will be his final Copa Libertadores appearances.
San Lorenzo
As for the visitors, with their domestic showdown against Godoy Cruz scrapped over the weekend due to dangerous scenes in the stands, San Lorenzo couldn’t have asked for a tougher challenge here. Although the Saints might know that a single point on Thursday night will be enough to officially book their knockout stage ticket, the Buenos Aires-based outfit have continued to show some extended inconsistencies. Despite being last seen in Copa Libertadores action claiming an action-packed 3-2 victory against Uruguayan side Liverpool, San Lorenzo have claimed just a pair of wins from any of their previous 10 appearances across all competitions. In fact, continuing on from last season, Thursday’s guests have remarkably collected just a sole victory from any of their previous 17 showdowns outside of Buenos Aires.
Team News
Both respectively not making a single appearance across any competition since back in March, the duo of Gaston Hernandez and Manuel Insaurralde will not feature on Thursday night. Recording two goals in his previous four appearances, 24-year-old Alexis Cuello should be handed a full recall here and spearhead San Lorenzo’s charge.
Recently cementing his spot as the Saints’ number-one choice, former Racing Club goalkeeper Gaston Gomez will keep his spot between the sticks in midweek.
Key Factors to Consider
- When Palmeiras and San Lorenzo met for their reverse Copa Libertadores battle on April 4th, Thursday’s opponents played out a 1-1 stalemate in Buenos Aires.
- The Big Green have suffered just a single defeat from any of their previous nine appearances across all competitions.
- San Lorenzo have secured just a pair of wins from any of their last 10 matchups across all formats.
- Likewise, the Saints have failed to record a single strike in any of their last four showdowns on the road.
- All of the three historic meetings between Palmeiras and San Lorenzo have finished with under 2.5 goals.
Conclusion
Already cruising their way to the knockout stage and collecting 13 points from their five Group F appearances this year, Palmeiras will be looking to make a final Copa Libertadores statement. Suffering just a single defeat from any of their previous nine matchups across all competitions, the Big Green will be smelling a real opportunity here. With San Lorenzo continuing to show a string of glaring issues outside of Buenos Aires, the Saints are rightfully tipped as a major underdog late on Thursday night. With the midweek guests remarkably recording just a sole win from any of their last 17 straight matchups on the road, we are expecting a home victory.
Verdict: Palmeiras win
Best Odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: Olympusbet