Copa Libertadores quarter-finals will see Estudiantes de La Plata square off Atletico PR this Friday at Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi. Kickoffs at 03:30 EAT.
For a club which has generally found themselves sliding on a downwards trajectory in recent years, with three bottom-half finishes in the last four seasons compounded by currently languishing 23rd in Argentina’s Primeira Division after 12 games of the second phase, Thursday’s quarter-final clash is a humungous one for Estudiantes and their passionate fan base.
Estudiantes de La Plata prepare for this fixture off the back of 0-0 Superliga stalemate with San Lorenzo in their previous match. In that game, Estudiantes had 46% possession and eight shots with one of them on target while San Lorenzo got 18 shots with three of them on target.
Meanwhile, after winning the Copa Sudamericana for the second time last year, former Brazil boss Felipe Scolari is aiming to guide Furacão to a Copa Libertadores triumph for the first time in the club’s history.
Atletico PR will want another win following 2-3 Serie A victory over Atlético Mineiro in their most recent encounter. In that game, Atletico PR had 36% possession, 10 shots with five of them on target and goals scored by Vitor Roque (46′, 56′) and Agustín Canobbio (96′). Atlético Mineiro got 21 shots with eight of them on target and goals by Igor Rabello (30′) and Cristian Pavón (54′).
Estudiantes vs. Athletico Paranaense head to head
Friday’s meeting will be the second head to head meeting between these two sides since the knockout stages of this campaign.
- Paranaense 0-0 Estudiantes La Plata 05/08/22
Home
- San Lorenzo 0-0 Estudiantes
- Paranaense 0-0 Estudiantes
- Estudiantes 0-0 Banfield
- Boca Juniors 3-1 Estudiantes
- Estudiantes 3-1 Barracas
Away
- Atletico Mineiro 2-3 Paranaense
- Paranaense 0-0 Estudiantes
- Paranaense 1-0 Sao Paulo
- Flamengo 0-0 Paranaense
- Botafogo 2-0 Paranaense
Estudiantes team news
Manager Ricardo Zielinski will be without Fabian Noguera and Ezequiel Munoz who have been ruled out of this game through injuries.
Athletico Paranaense team news
Marcelo Cirino will miss out this game through injuries while Christian Cardoso is a doubt through injury.
Prediction and odds
Athletico Paranaense is in much better form at the moment and they even beat Athletico Mineiro in Serie A away from home over the weekend, so we like their chances in this game as Estudiantes are winless in five of their last six matches.
- Athletico Paranaense Win
- Draw
- Goals under 2.5
