After a goalless draw in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, São Paulo and Botafogo will face each other again, starting at 9:30 pm (Brasília time) this Wednesday (25), to decide who will advance to the semifinals of the competition. The match, held at the Morumbis stadium in São Paulo, will be broadcast on National Radio.
São Paulo heads into this Wednesday’s clash looking to put behind them their poor performance at the Nilton Santos stadium last week. On that occasion, the Tricolor managed to hold on for a 0-0 draw, but suffered 22 shots during the match.
Thinking about the return leg of the Libertadores, coach Luis Zubeldía rested many starters against Inter in the Brazilian Championship (only Lucas Moura and Bobadilla started the game), but the result was a 3-1 defeat for Colorado at Morumbis.
With that, Tricolor is practically out of the running for the Brazilian title, which makes qualifying for the Libertadores even more important. “We know what the Libertadores represents. Everyone knows it, players, staff, directors, fans and myself. The Libertadores is very important and, so far, we are competing well and we want to go as far as possible,” Zubeldía said in a press conference.
In this Wednesday’s match, São Paulo should have full strength. The only doubt is between Luciano and Willian Gomes in attack. Thus, Tricolor should start with: Rafael; Rafinha, Arboleda, Alan Franco and Welington; Luiz Gustavo and Bobadilla; Wellington Rato, Lucas and William Gomes (Luciano); Calleri.
On the other side of the pitch will be a highly motivated Botafogo. Leader of the Brazilian league and coming off a 1-0 victory over Fluminense, the team from General Severiano is confident that, even away from home, they can win and return to a Libertadores semi-final (a feat they have not achieved since 1963).
In a press conference after the triumph over Tricolor das Laranjeiras, coach Artur Jorge revealed that his team’s goal this season is to win both the Brazilian Championship and the Libertadores: “We don’t have any extra space. The margin is small. We are competing in two competitions that we want, the Brazilian Championship and the Libertadores.”
Just like São Paulo, Botafogo has no absences. Vitinho, Bastos, Alex Telles, Thiago Almada and Igor Jesus, who were rested in the last round of the Brazilian Championship, return to the team, which should enter the field with: John; Vitinho, Bastos, Barboza and Alex Telles; Gregore and Marlon Freitas; Luiz Henrique, Savarino and Thiago Almada; Igor Jesus.
Whoever advances between São Paulo and Botafogo will face the winner of Peñarol (Uruguay) and Flamengo in the Libertadores semi-final, who will face each other again next Thursday (26). In the first leg, the Uruguayans triumphed 1-0.
See the updated Copa Libertadores table here.
* Collaboration by Pedro Amorim (intern) under the supervision of Paulo Garritano.
