Estudiantes LP vs Atletico Nacional Medellin Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

This is a huge match for both sides. Defeat would leave the beaten side all but eliminated, as both sides arrive pointless from their opening two games in the group. The two had high hopes coming into the competition, particularly Atletico Nacional who are reigning champions, but have simply failed to turn up so far. Opening round defeats weren’t too much of a worry for either side given that they came on the road, but they were both comfortable home favourites in the previous round of fixtures and failed to live up to that tag, going down 2-0 to Barcelona and Botafogo respectively.

Estudiantes have been in good form domestically, but have struggled to transcend that onto the continental stage. They’ve won 3 and drawn 2 out of the last 5 in the Argentine top flight, leaving them with a feint shot at the title, currently 6 points behind leaders Boca but with a game to come against them at home. Los Pincharratas arrive for this key encounter off the back of a solid showing over the weekend, picking up a point from one of Argentina’s most difficult away trips in the form of Newell’s Old Boys.

The story reads much the same as regards Atletico Nacional. They’ve won the last 6 in domestic action, and sit top with a game in hand and 4 points advantage over 2nd placed Independiente Medellin. The significance of this encounter is no better emphasised by the fact that boss Reinaldo Rueda travelled to Argentina with most of his first choice players on Saturday, leaving assistant Bernardo Redín and a heavily rotated team to contest the 2-0 win over Envigado on Sunday night.

The state of each teams current status in the Libertadores really is quite baffling; at the very least they should been competitive within the group. This clash gives each one a last stab at hauling themselves back into contention.

It’s a difficult one to call result wise, the draw doesn’t really serve a purpose for either team and they will be going all out for the win. Bets on both teams to score or over 2.5 goals wouldn’t be a bad idea, but we feel that we’ve identified a fantastic selection.

Readers of our preview of Estudiantes’ last Libertadores tie will be no strangers to backing their home games having high numbers of corners, and that’s something we will  be doing here again. The current Asian Corner line is set at 4/5 for over 8 corners, and considering the sides home games currently average 10.1 corners, that looks a great pick.

The hosts’ 3 home games in 2017 have comfortably cleared the line, having seen 14 corners twice and 10 once. There is no reason to fear that not happening again, both sides are going to play with attacking styles and that should create an open, stretched game; the perfect scenario for corner generation. As for the tie itself, we see the hosts as the more likely winners with the backing of the crowd; perhaps gaining the 3 points with a 2-1 win.