Atletico Nacional Medellin VS Libertad, visitors to secure another narrow victory

Match Time：4/15/2021 08:30 Thursday  (GMT+8)

Copa Libertadores --  Atletico Nacional Medellin   VS   Libertad

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Paraguayan side Club Libertad travel to Colombian outfit Atletico Nacional for the second leg of their third qualifying round tie of the Copa Libertadores at 21:30 local time on Wednesday evening.

 

The visitors take a slender 1-0 advantage to the Estadio Atanasio Girardot and will be looking to progress to the group stages for the fifth successive season.

 

Match preview

Atletico Nacional were eliminated at this stage of the Copa Libertadores qualifiers in 2018-19 by Libertad, suffering a 1-0 defeat in the first leg before winning the second leg by the same scoreline, only to then lose on penalties.

 

The chances of this scenario repeating itself this year remains a possibility, after Nacional lost 1-0 to Libertad once again last week, thanks to a 78th-minute strike from defender Cristian Baez.

 

Despite this result, Nacional boss Alexandre Guimaraes, who became the club's manager in December 2020, is still hopeful of progressing to the group stages for the first time in four years.

 

El Verde have won the Copa Libertadores twice before, winning in 1989 and more recently in 2016, beating Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle 2-1 in the final.

 

Guimaraes is hoping he can guide Nacional towards another final, but he knows that his side must win on Wednesday if they are to keep their dreams alive.

 

After winning the first leg last week, Libertad have since claimed their seventh league victory of the campaign, with a 2-1 home win against Guairena on Sunday.

 

Strikes from Hector Villalba and Julio Enciso gave Libertad a two-goal lead heading into half time, and despite conceding a second-half goal from Facundo Parra, Daniel Garnero's side were able to hold on for all three points.

 

That result keeps the 20-time Paraguayan Primera Division champions at the summit, one point clear of their nearest rivals Club Nacional.

 

Libertad have remarkably reached the Copa Libertadores group stages in 17 of the last 19 years and securing at least a draw on Wednesday would continue this run.

 

Atletico Nacional Copa Libertadores form:WWL

Atletico Nacional form (all competitions):WDLWLL

Club Libertad Copa Libertadores form:WDW

Club Libertad form (all competitions):WDWDLW

 

Team News

Libertad boss Garnero lined up with a 4-4-2 formation in the first leg and could use the same system again on Tuesday evening.

 

Thirty-seven-year-old former Benfica forward Oscar Cardozo will be hoping to start up front, however he is expected to remain on the bench with Carlos Ferreira and Adrian Emmanuel Martinez set to lead the line.

 

For Atletico Nacional, Yerson Candelo could keep his place in the starting lineup at right-back ahead of Jonathan Marulanda, while Vladimir Hernandez will be hoping to play in midfield ahead of either Michael Chacon or Sebastian Gomez Londono.

 

Jonathan Alvez started as the lone striker in the first leg but he could be replaced in the side by Jefferson Duque, who has seven goals so far this campaign.

 

Atletico Nacional possible starting lineup:

Quintana; Candelo, Mosquera, Oliveira, Banguero; Chacon, Londono; Perlaza, Barrera, Andrade; Duque

 

Club Libertad possible starting lineup:

Silva; Piris, Baez, Barboza, Espinoza; Franco, R. Martinez, Bocanegra, Bogarin; Ferreira, A. Martinez

 

Atletico Nacional 0-1 Club Libertad