Copa Libertadores Quarterfinals Odds & Picks – Leg 2 (Aug 17-19)
- Four quarterfinal, second leg ties in South America’s premier club competition starting Tuesday through Thursday
- Prospect of an all-Brazilian final four with holders Palmeiras meeting neighborly rivals Sao Paolo
- See the odds, best bets and predictions for South America’s Copa Libertadores Quarterfinals – Leg 2 (Aug 17-19.)
South America’s leading club sides clash in the quarterfinal second leg ties of the prestigious Copa Libertadores starting on Tuesday.
There is the possibility of an all-Brazilian last four.
Palmeiras is the defending champion and meets fellow Brazilian side Sao Paolo (8:30 pm ET, Tuesday).
Meanwhile, Flamengo of Brazil has a 4-1 lead over Olimpia Asuncion of Paraguay (6:15 pm ET, Wednesday).
Atletico Mineiro has a slight 1-0 lead at home against River Plate of Argentina (8:30 pm ET Wednesday). Further, the Brazilian outfit Fluminense is level at 2-2 with Barcelona SC of Ecuador (8:30 pm ET, Thursday).
Copa Libertadores Quarterfinal Odds
| Matchup | Home | Draw | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras vs Sao Paolo | +120 | +200 | +230 |
| Flamengo vs Olimpia Asuncion | -450 | +40 | +1000 |
| Atletico Mineiro vs River Plate | +125 | +200 | +220 |
| Barcelona SC vs Fluminense | +115 | +200 | +240 |
Odds as of August 12 at William Hill
Palmeiras vs Sao Paolo Prediction
Palmeiras meets Sao Paolo in an all-Brazilian quarterfinal second leg after two draws between the teams in the last three weeks alone.
It was all square at 1-1 in the first leg of this last-eight tie at Sao Paolo.
https://youtu.be/_c0hwiIbdzg
Meanwhile, these cross-town rivals held each other at 0-0 in a Brazilian Serie A fixture on July 31.
There was, furthermore, another goalless draw when they clashed in Brazil’s Campeonato Paulista regional championship in May.
So you can see where this is heading with William Hill offering a very attractive prop of +550 for there to be no score after 90 minutes.
Palmeiras currently sits in second place in Brazil’s Serie A.
However, the oddsmakers rate Palmeiras as the favorite for a home win at +120 with injury-hit Sao Paolo at +230.
Certainly, these odds seem influenced by the fact that Palmeiras currently sits in second place in Serie A.
🔝⚽ The 5⃣ best goals from last week's CONMEBOL #Libertadores action!
🔜 There are more great goals coming your way this week during the Quarterfinal second legs! pic.twitter.com/pnMNPDtcUf
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@TheLibertadores) August 17, 2021
The team has lost just three times at home this season across all competitions.
It has, though, hit trouble recently with two straight defeats in tough encounters.
Palmeiras went down 3-2 at home to third-placed Fortaleza on August 8.
📋 The Team of the Week from the CONMEBOL #Libertadores Quarterfinal First Legs!
🎮 #FIFA21 @EASPORTSFIFA pic.twitter.com/FzPqWyuctB
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@TheLibertadores) August 16, 2021
Then, subsequently, it lost 2-0 on the road against current leaders Atletico Mineiro.
Sao Paolo meanwhile is in 14th place after just four wins all season – with six draws and six defeats.
Palmeiras’ progress came with a 2-0 aggregate win over Chile’s Universita Catolica.
Even so, it is undefeated in its last six matches across all competitions.
Sao Paolo, moreover, overcame Argentina’s Racing Avellaneda 4-2 on aggregate in the last 16.
For Palmeiras, meanwhile, progress came with a 2-0 aggregate win over Chile’s Universita Catolica.
The side’s Brazilian striker Rony is the competition’s joint-second leading scorer with six goals.
In conclusion, given recent results, a goalless draw after 90 minutes looks likely here – with the outcome to be decided by penalties.
Pick: No Score After 90 minutes (+550}
Atletico Mineiro vs River Plate Prediction
Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro has a slender 1-0 lead when it invites River Plate of Argentina for the return in Belo Horizonte.
The first meeting was an eventful game for former River Plate midfielder Ignacio Fernandez who scored Mineiro’s 58th-minute winner and was later sent off.
In domestic competition, Mineiro currently has a five-point lead at the top of Brazil’s Serie A.
Across all competitions, it has, furthermore, been beaten only once in its last 14 matches across the frantic Brazilian schedule.
It has not lost at home since May so its consistent form will count here.
River Plate, moreover, sits in seventh place in Argentina’s Liga Professional. But it has won only once in its last five matches across all competitions.
Spanish/Brazilian superstar striker Diego Costa has just signed for Mineiro but is not expected to feature in this tie.
Mineiro has one of the competition’s joint-second leading scorers in striker Hulk with six goals.
The side reached the last eight with a penalty shoot-out win against Argentina’s Boca Juniors after two goalless draws.
Meanwhile, River Plate overcame fellow Buenos Aires outfit Argentinos Juniors 3-1 on aggregate.
Brazilian clubs are dominating the Copa Libertadores.
Flamengo won it in 2019. Palmeiras won it in 2020. This season, all four semi-finalists could be Brazilian.
I had a crack at explaining why for @planetfutebol.https://t.co/tCbBK1gfDg
— Joshua Law (@JoshuaMLaw) August 17, 2021
To sum up, Mineiro, too, has one of the competition’s joint-second leading scorers in striker Hulk with six goals.
So it is simply too strong and with home advantage will secure the win.
Pick: Atletico Mineiro +125
Barcelona SC vs Fluminense Prediction
Fluminense has lost its last four Brazilian Serie A games as it heads to meet Barcelona SC in Ecuador.
It is in 15th place in Serie A.
With Barcelona in fifth place in Ecuador’s league, it is the favorite with William Hill.
That assessment is certainly based on the fact that Barcelona has won five and drawn one of its last seven games while Fluminense has struggled in its domestic league.
Furthermore, Fluminense was trailing in the second leg at 2-1 to an 88th-minute goal from Gabriel Casierra.
🟡 Impressive contributions off the bench for @BarcelonaSC! 👏
🇧🇷⚽️🇪🇨 Adonis Preciado and Gabriel Cortez each came on as substitutes and scored in their side's 2⃣-2⃣ draw with @FluminenseFC last week! pic.twitter.com/JQXKVeMXW5
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@TheLibertadores) August 15, 2021
It required an added-time penalty from 37-year-old forward Fred to secure the draw.
With home advantage, the Ecuadorian side is likely to secure a win and end the prospect of an all-Brazilian final four.
Pick: Barcelona SC +115
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
