Athletico-PR vs Libertad Prediction: Libertad Delivering Concrete Performances in the Paraguayan Primera Division

In the upcoming fixture of Copa Libertadores, Matchday 5, Athletico Paranaense will be up against Libertad at the Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães in Curitiba. With Athletico Paranaense leading the Libertadores points table with 2 wins and 7 points, a win in the upcoming matchup will secure its spot for the next round. On the other hand, Libertad will be looking to win by a better goal-scoring margin in order to surpass Atletico Mineiro, standing in the 2nd spot. The last time these two sides played against each other, Athletico-PR won (1-2). From the last five matches played, only a fixture has resulted in a draw, whereas Libertad has stood successful thrice. Continue reading to find out more about the upcoming matchup in Curitiba. 

After losing three consecutive matches, Athletico-PR could finally produce two back-to-back wins in the two recent matches played. Athletico Paranaense managed to defeat Botafogo in a clean sheet (1-0), in which Paranaense secured 48% possession, and Alex Santana scored the only goal with an assist made by Vitor Roque. Carrying the winning run against Botafogo forward, Athletico-PR will be looking to unsettle the visitors. In terms of scoring, Athletico-PR has scored 7 and conceded 9 goals, averaging 1.40 and 1.80 goals per game. With the likes of Vitor Roque, Pablo, Christian Cardoso, and Wilian in the lineup, Athletico-PR will be looking to dominate the Paraguayan visitors. 

With Club Libertad moving forward in the international setting, the upcoming matchup is expected to be a thriller of a contest. Libertad would have sought ample confidence ahead of the Libertadores fixture. However, the recent clean sheet defeat against Cerro Porteno (2-0) dented their winning run and confidence. Libertad has secured 4 wins in the last five matches played and will be looking to start winning once again. About the scoring, Libertad has scored 7 and conceded 3 goals in the last five matches played across all competitions played. Coach David Garnero will be looking to play a well-composed lineup against Athletico-PR. With the likes of Sanabria, Melgarejo, and Barboza in the lineup, Libertad is likely to score and not give it up without a fight. 

With both teams looking to strengthen their standings in the points table and improve, the upcoming matchup is likely to have both sides playing hardball till the very last minute. Hence, I believe the upcoming matchup is likely to have both sides scoring. About the final result, Athletico-PR will be looking to maximize the home advantage. Therefore, I am backing Athletico-PR to win. The match total is likely to be over 2.5 goals, as both sides possess a decent scoring average. 

• Athletico-PR to Win for 1.75
• Both Teams To Score - Yes for 2.05
• Total Over 2.5 for 2.21