Copa Libertadores: São Paulo x Barcelona SC, Match Preview, Odds and Predictions(17/05/2024)

At Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo on Thursday night, the second-placed Sao Paulo will play the Ecuadorian side Barcelona SC in the last round of the Copa Libertadores group stage.

Although the Brazilian team has already qualified from Group B, they still have a shot at ending first. They'll be looking to win against the second-bottom visiting team to set themselves up for a hopeful final round of matches.

Head To Head And Previous Matches

Despite a poor showing in their first match in Group B against Talleres de Cordoba, Sao Paulo made a remarkable comeback and advanced to the next round of the Copa Libertadores.

Despite being one of the best seeds into the continental championship, the Faith Team needed a win to avoid leaving early after defeating the Argentine club.

Thiago Carpini was stripped of his responsibilities after three months due to the loss to Talleres and a dismal domestic start. Luis Zubeldia took command on April 22. Since then, Sao Paulo has improved their performances, going six matches without a loss, including three in the Copa Libertadores, to advance to the round of 16.

Even with five victories and a tie, including a three-game winning streak on the continent, Talleres has managed to avoid loss in their games; therefore, they are still ahead of them in the rankings. The Argentine team came dangerously close to losing in the second match, but Juan Rodriguez scored a late equalizer in the 96th minute to draw level with Barcelona.

The results put Zubeldia's team one point behind the leading club, setting up a thrilling final encounter in Group B as the two teams compete for first place.

With just two points, Barcelona is not in the running for a top-two slot, but if the Ecuadorian team finishes third in their group, they will still be able to remain on the continent.

At the moment, Toreros are in that spot, but they have two games left to stop last-place Cobresal from passing them in the rankings.

One point separates third and fourth place in Group B; thus, Ariel Holan's squad needs a win or a Talleres win over the Chilean club on matchday six to secure their spot.

After winning his first two games in charge after being appointed at the tail end of April, Holan has now gone two games without a victory.

Expectations are high for Ecuador's trip to Morumbi after they were thrashed 2-0 in the rematch on April 26, the first setback of the 63-year-old's young tenure away against the Group B leaders.

São Paulo x Barcelona SC Team News

It is uncertain if attacker Jonathan Calleri will play for Sao Paulo against Barcelona due to a calf injury. Calleri did not play in Monday's win against Fluminense. With his goals in this year's competition—two against Cobresal and one against this week's opponents—Callegeri now has three.

The host Lucas Moura's status is questionable due to a thigh injury. Still, they will likely be without James Rodriguez (muscle), Pablo Maia (thigh), Rafinha (leg), and Wellington Rato (ankle) this week.

Damian Diaz has scored half of Barcelona's goals this season, and he'll be looking to notch another one on Thursday night despite the team's goal-scoring woes. Following a 1-1 league tie between Aucas and Toreros on Monday, Diaz assisted on the game-winning goal.

The Ecuadorian club's lone listed long-term absence is centre-back Franklin Guerra, who ruptured ligaments in February.

Our Predictions

Sao Paulo to win @1.36 on Sky247.ng

Barcelona has allowed two goals per game while averaging just one goal per game leading into matchday five; Sao Paulo, riding high on their momentum under new management and eager to challenge Talleres for first place in Group B, should win easily.

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