Libertad Asuncion vs Boca Juniors Predictions

Thursday’s Copa Libertadores round of 16, second leg action sees Paraguayans Libertad doing battle with Argentine champions Boca Juniors. The visitors will be looking to hold onto the 2-0 lead they established in the first leg.

Libertad always looked up against it coming into this tie and showed little quality in Buenos Aires, deservedly going home behind. Repollero did well to advance from a group containing Atletico Tucuman, Penarol and The Strongest but it’s fair to say Boca rank as a step up in quality compared to those sides and the Paraguayans now need a miracle turnaround to stay in the competition.

Nonetheless, boss Eduardo Villalba has had the side playing some good football since he came in and that will at least leave a glimmer of hope as regards turning the tie around. Indeed, Libertad have won all three of their domestic outings since their trip to Argentina and haven’t conceded a single goal in the process, a streak they’ll be desperate to continue on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Boca were not sparkling in the first leg but got the job done, as they usually do. El Xeneize have dominated the Argentine game over the last couple of years, winning the crown in each of the last two seasons, but it’s South America’s biggest title that El Xeneize fans want now.

With one of, if not the, strongest squad on the continent Boca look a good candidate to lift the trophy come the end of the year but for now all they can do is ensure they avoid any slip-up in the Paraguayan capital. Just 4 points from 3 leagues games in domestic action hardly has confidence sky high in Boca ranks but there can be no doubting they are firm favourites to advance from this point.

Ultimately, whilst they’ve not been at their typical best in recent weeks, it’s almost impossible to imagine Boca throwing away a two goal lead to an opponent they are clearly superior to on paper. Libertad may well be on a run of strong domestic form but their opponents here represent an entirely different kettle of fish to those they’ve been facing.

Boca do not play the most attractive football in South America but they rarely fail to get the result they need and no change looks forthcoming in that regard. All things considered, we like the look of backing the draw at more than reasonable odds. Libertad have lost just 1 of their last 11 home games, so should be able to compete better than they did in the first leg but a Boca outfit that has already drawn all of three of it’s away games in the competitions so far this year looks likely to progress to the quarter-finals via a 0-0 stalemate.