Palmeiras vs. Botafogo Match Preview, Odds & Predictions

If Palmeiras want to make it to the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores for the eighth year in a row, they'll need to beat Botafogo in Wednesday's second-leg match at Allianz Parque.

The current leaders of the Brasileiro Serie A are in a position to break their seven-year drought in the quarterfinals after winning the first leg of their round-of-16 encounter, 2-1 at home.

Head-to-head and Previous Matches

For the first time since 2017, Palmeiras have found themselves in a seeded position, going into the second leg of a round of 16 tie in the Libertadores. A win would extend their run in the tournament.

They are one loss away from their first elimination from the tournament this year, matching their worst departure since this same stage in 2017 when Barcelona SC of Ecuador eliminated them on penalties.

They last lost in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores at Allianz Parque in 2013 when Club Tijuana defeated them 2-1.

Abel Ferreira's squad has been less dominant than usual. It has lost the first goal in the Libertadores on four occasions this season yet managed to come back and win three of those matches.

Even more unusual is that they last won back-to-back competitive games in July. However, after a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Sao Paulo last weekend, they will be looking to reverse that on Wednesday.

Palestra won the 1973 Libertadores group match against Fogo, which was the only other time they played there. The final score was 3-2.

Last week, Botafogo beat Verdao despite the latter's best efforts. Just six minutes after Verdao equalized, Botafogo scored the winning goal.

After dropping their first two games in the competition, this squad has won four of their last five games in a row.

Artur Jorge's squad is currently riding a two-game winning streak in all competitions. Their 4-1 victory against Flamengo on Saturday gave them a one-point lead over Fortaleza in the Brasileiro Serie A standings.

But they've lost their last two road games, the most recent being a 3-2 loss to Juventude in Brazil's top division earlier this month.

With a 3-0 aggregate victory against Nacional of Uruguay in their 2017 quarterfinal match, Botafogo became the first team in tournament history to advance to the round of 16 while leading after the first leg.

In their last encounter, during the 2023 domestic season, Estrella Solitaria won 1-0 on the road. This was their third win in four encounters against Palestra.

Palmeiras x Botafogo Team News

Bruno Rodrigues was out last week with a knee injury, while Joaquin Piquerez had a sore knee for Palestra.

After sitting out the first match due to calf issues, Mayke and Dudu are doubtful for the deciding game.

The previous time they played, Mauricio scored his first goal of the season in the 33rd minute against Fogo. That was their only scoring opportunity.

Rafael and Jeffinho were ruled out of the opening match of this tie due to knee problems, while Matheus Nascimento and Eduardo were also ruled out due to thigh problems.

The Libertadores' leading scorer, Junior Santos, is sidelined with a fractured ankle. Last week, tournament debutant Thiago Almada made his professional soccer league (MLS) debut after joining Atlanta United.

Our Predictions

Palmeiras to win @ 1.88 ON SKY247.ng

We anticipate that Palmeiras' desperation and expertise will be sufficient to propel them to the next round in what is sure to be an intense encounter on Wednesday, considering the stakes.

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