Four matches will be played at the Copa Bridgestone Libertadores: Asunción, Guadalajara, Oruro and Santiago will be the host cities.
Guaraní vs. Racing
Paraguayan club Guarani will look to inch closer to the knockout stages when they face Racing of Argentina, leader of Group 8. Even if Racing loses they could still qualify to the next stage.
Racing sit on 9 points while the Paraguayans are in second position with Sporting Cristal of Peru, both with 5 points.
Last and with few chances is Deportivo Tachira of Venezuela (2).
Spanish coach Fernando Jubero announced an offensive side against the 'Academia' in hopes of erasing the shame of the 4-1 loss inflicted on his team in the second round.
Racing, meanwhile, has everything going for them to advance to the knockout stage. A win or a draw would put them in. If they lose they can still make it if Sporting Cristal does not get a victory on Wednesday in San Cristóbal against Deportivo Tachira.
The game is scheduled 7:00 pm local time (23H00 GMT) in the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion under the command of Brazilian referee Heber Lopes, assisted by his countrymen Marcelo Van Gasse and Guilherme Camilo.
Probable starting teams:
Guaraní: Alfredo Aguilar – Eduardo Filippini, Rubén Maldonado, Julio César Cáceres, Luis Cabral – Marcelo Palau, Jorge Mendoza, Julián Benítez, Darío Ocampo – Fernando Fernández and Federíco Santander. Coach: Fernando Jubero.
Rácing: Diego Saja – Iván Pillud, Nicolás Sánchez, Yonathan Cabral, Leandro Grimi – Facundo Castillón, Ezequiel Videla, Pablo Alvarado, Washington Camacho – Gustavo Bou and Diego Milito. Coach: Diego Cocca
Statistics:
Guaraní vs. Racing Club
Recorded one official international meeting: a victory for Racing Club 4-1 in Buenos Aires last February 24.
Guaraní
Will play their 50th home game in the Cup.
Has a favorable record (26-13-10).
Against Deportivo Táchira, last March 10, won again in that condition after 7 games.
Racing Club
As the visiting club as a record of 10-8-10.
On a six game unbeaten run (4 wins and 2 draws). The last defeat was in the semifinal of the 1997 edition (Sporting Cristal 4-1).
Has played twice in Paraguay in CONMEBOL competitions, both against Olimpia and never lost: Supercopa 1990 (1-1) and Mercosur 1998 (4-2).
Referee – Heber Lopes
Has called 40 matches in the Cup, present in the last 12 editions.
Has never called a Guaraní or Racing Club match.
Has called three home games for Paraguayan clubs against Argentine clubs:
Libertad 1 – Banfield 0 (2005)
Cerro Porteño 3 – Lanús 1 (2014)
Nacional 1 – Vélez Sarsfield 0 (2014)
Palestino vs. Zamora
Chile's Palestino receives the already eliminated Zamora of Venezuela with the urgency to get a win to keep alive in Group 5, where Argentina's Boca Juniors already qualified for the knockout stages.
Palestino is third with four points, three behind Uruguay's Wanderers, who will welcome the 'Xeneizes' on Thursday.
The performance of the club from Santiago in the continental club tournament aroused the fervor of the Palestinian community in Chile -some 300,000 members strong- and among Palestinians around the world who feel that the modest team represents the colors of their land.
The fate of Palestino, who after 36 years returned to the Copa Libertadores, depends on the outcome of the Wanderers vs. Boca Juniors (12 points) match.
In the last round Palestino will travel to Buenos Aires to go up against Boca and Wanderers travel to Venezuela to play Zamora.
This match be held at the Santa Laura stadium starting at 8:00 pm local time (23H00 GMT). Bolivian Oscar Maldonado will referee the game. He will be assisted by his countrymen Wilson Arellano and Edwin Paredes.
Probable starting teams:
Palestino: Darío Melo – Paulo Díaz, Germán Lanaro, Alejandro Contreras – Agustín Farías, Diego Rosende, Esteban Carvajal, Jason Silva, Leonardo Valencia – Cesar Valenzuela and Marcos Riquelme. Coach: Pablo Guede.
Zamora: Álvaro Forero – Moisés Galezo, Edwin Peraza, Luis Ovalle, Ángel Faria – John Jairo Murillo, Luis Vargas, Arles Flores, Luis Melo, Ricardo Clarke – Gustavo Páez. Coach: Julio Quintero.
Statistics:
Palestino vs. Zamora
One previous internacional match: the victory of Palestino 1-0 over Zamora en Venezuela last February 26.
Palestino
As the home club at the Copa Libertadores the club has a record of 6-2-6.
The last three home matches all in this edition: National 1-0, Boca Juniors 0-2 and Wanderers 1-1.
Both times welcoming Venezuelan teams in CONMEBOL tournaments the club was victorious, both in the group stage of the 1979 edition: Deportivo Galicia 5-0 and Portuguesa 6-0.
Zamora
Has never won as the visitor.
Has played 8 games, with 7 losses and 1 draw. The only time that the club did not lose was on March 18, 2014 in a 2-2 draw with Santa Fe in Bogota.
Venezuelan teams have played 26 times in Chile in CONMEBOL competitions, with 4 wins, 2 draws and 20 defeats. But in the last 5 they won 3:
Universidad Católica 1 – Caracas 3 (Libertadores 2011)
Unión Española 1 – Caracas 2 (Libertadores 2011)
Huachipato 1 – Caracas 3 (Libertadores 2013)
Referee – Oscar Maldonado
11 Copa Libertadores games.
Has never called a Palestino match and on one occasion directed Zamora: 2-2 against Santa Fe on March 18, 2014.
Has called only one Chilean club at home in this tournament: Audax Italiano 1 – Boyaca Chico 0 (2008).
Atlas vs. Colo Colo
Atlas of Mexico will try to catch Colo Colo of Chile at the top of Group 1 when they meet Tuesday.
Colo Colo sits on six points while Atlas is last with three points. The group is completed by Colombian club Independiente Santa Fe (6 points) and Brazil's Atlético Mineiro (3).
Besides wanting the lead, the Rojinegros seek revenge for the 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Cacique in the third round.
For its part, the 'Cacique' reach this game after losing 2-1 to Cobresal, leader of the Chilean championship.
The match will be played starting at 9:15 pm local time (02H15 GMT Wednesday) in the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara (west), which has capacity for 60,000 spectators.
The Argentine referees for the match will be Nestor Pitana, Juan Belatti and Ezequiel Brailovsky.
Probable starting teams:
Atlas: Federico Vilar – Enrique Pérez, Luis Venegas, Walter Kanneman, Edgar Castillo, Juan Pablo Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Medina, Rodrigo Millar, Arturo González, Luis Caballero, Keno. Coach: Tomás Boy.
Colo Colo: Paulo Garcés – Gonzalo Fierro, Cristian Vilches, José Cáceres, Jean Beausejour, Julio Barroso, Jaime Valdés, Emiliano Vecchio, Juan Delgado, Esteban Paredes, Felipe Flores. Coach: Héctor Tapia.
Statistics:
Atlas vs. Colo Colo
An even record in the three times these clubs have meant:
Atlas 3 – Colo Colo 0 (Libertadores 2008)
Colo Colo 1 – Atlas 1 (Libertadores 2008)
Colo Colo 2 – Atlas 0 (Libertadores 2015)
Atlas
A positive record at home in the Copa Libertadores (6-3-3)
In the last 3 matches in this condition they have two defeats and a draw.
The other home game for Conmbeol tournaments against Chilean teams was March 8, 2000, when they tied Universidad de Chile 0-0 in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores.
Colo Colo
107 away games at the Cup with 22 wins, 28 draws and 57 losses.
Two consecutive defeats: Santos 3-2 (2011) and Santa Fe 3-1 (2015).
In Conmebol tournament has played 6 times in Mexico (2-1-3):
Puebla 4-1 (Interamericana 1991)
Chivas 3-5 (Libertadores 2006)
Toluca 2-0 (Sudamericana 2006)
Pachuca 1-1 (Sudamericana 2006)
América 0-3 (Libertadores 2007)
Atlas 0-3 (Libertadores 2008)
Árbitro – Néstor Pitana
Match number 18 at the Copa Libertadores
Has never directed Atlas or Colo Colo in this contest.
For the first time in his career at CONMEBOL tournaments he will call a game in Mexico.
San José vs. Juan Aurich
With the obligation to win, Bolivia's San José welcomes Peruvian club Juan Aurich.
Argentine coach Nestor Clausen said that "this is a key game" for San Jose. They must win this game and then next week against River in Buenos Aires and hope Aurich falls to Tigres in Mexico.
In contrast the Peruvian team could make things easier on themselves if they just win the match.
The match will be played starting at 9:15 pm local time (01H15 GMT Wednesday) in the Jesús Bermúdez Stadium.
The Ecuadorian referees will be Roddy Zambrano, Byron Romero and Luis Vera.
Probable starting teams:
San José: Rubén Escobar – Luis Torrico Arnaldo Vera, Delio Ojeda – Wilder Zabala, Mario Parrado, Mario Ovando, Abdón Reyes – Miguel Loaiza – Mauro Bustamante and Miguel Angel Cuéllar. Coach: Néstor Clausen.
Juan Aurich: Pedro Gallese – Rodrigo Cuba, Christian Ramos, Gabriel Balbuena, Jair Céspedes – Abner Delgado, Benjamín Ubierna, Alfredo Rojas, Germán Pacheco – Luis Tejada and César Valoyes Coach: Roberto Mosquera.
Statistics:
San José vs. Juan Aurich
One previous international match: Aurich 2-0 victory in Peru last March 5.
San José
A 8-2-8 record at home in this tournament.
In the past 3 they have alternated tie, victory and defeat: Tijuana 1-1 (2013), River Plate 2-0 and 0-1 Tigres (2015).
Has never welcomed a Peruvian club in Conmebol tournaments.
Juan Aurich
As a visitor has played 13 games at the Copa Libertadores, with two wins, two draws and nine losses.
Eight straight games as visitors without a win.
Their last win was February 3, 2010 against Estudiantes Tecos 2-1.
Lost both times in Bolivia in Conmebol tournaments: Bolívar 1-0 (Libertadores 2010) and The Strongest 2-1 (Libertadores 2012).
Referee – Roddy Zambrano
Will be his 7th match at the Copa Libertadores.
In this edition was in charge of one match: Racing Club 1 – Sporting Cristal 2.
He never directed San Jose or Juan Aurich.
Text: AFP
Design: DD/conmebol.com
Statistics: Eduardo Bolaños/conmebol.com
