Atletico Tucuman vs The Strongest Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Wednesday’s Copa Libertadores action sees Argentines Atletico Tucuman playing host to Bolivians The Strongest. After triumphing against all odds away to The Strongest last week, Atletico will be looking to complete the double to keep their group stage progression dream alive.

The fact that Ricardo Zielinski’s men ended the Bolivians 19 match unbeaten run as hosts in the Libertadores tells you everything you need to know about the magnitude of their 2-1 triumph. Not even the continent’s finest often leave the gruelling high altitude of The Strongest’s La Paz with a result, but El Decano managed to do exactly that with a highly impressive showing.

Having lost both of their opening group games against Libertad and Penarol, Atletico had looked down and out, but yet another win here would propel them into a very strong position. The hosts had been in fairly poor shape and boss Zielinski was starting to come under some pressure, but the successful trip to Bolivia alongside a 5 match domestic unbeaten run has confidence flowing in the camp and the crowd back on side once again.

Meanwhile, the defeat was a devastating one for The Strongest, who now face the daunting task of having to pick up a result away from home if they are to have any hope of advancing. The visitors have been one of the weakest teams on the continent away from home historically, struggling when their altitude advantage is taken away.

Indeed, El Tigre have already been battered 3-0 away at Libertad this season, a result which means they’ve now failed to score in 4 of their last 5 games on the road in the competition. Cesar Farias’ men aren’t even faring well as visitors domestically, and arrive having lost 5 of their last 6 away fixtures across all competitions, leaving confidence low ahead of this trip.

Ultimately, Atletico have already achieved the close to impossible and it’s now The Strongest looking for a miracle of their own. Atletico are typically a very strong home team with the backing of their notoriously hostile home crowd and that proved to be the case in last year’s Libertadores, with the side remaining unbeaten in 5 matches at the Estadio Monumental José Fierro.

The hosts may well have slipped up on their own patch once this time around, via defeat at home to Libertad, but it’s hard to imagine lightning striking twice against an opponent so poor on the road. The Strongest will look to sit deep and secure a point, but Atletico should have more than enough about them to dispatch an opponent they’ve already beaten when the playing field wasn’t level.

Given the strategy likely to be deployed by both teams, and the way in which we’ve seen The Strongest struggle on their travels over the years, backing the home win to nil looks to provide excellent value, with a 2-0 margin of victory on the cards.