Cruzeiro MG
- Cruzeiro MG have been excellent in recent weeks, remaining unbeaten in their last five games across all competitions (W3, D2).
- Their form in the Libertadores has also been strong, with a 1-1 draw away to Boca Juniors and a 2-1 win over Chapecoense in Serie A coming from their previous two outings.
Barcelona SC Guayaquil
Barcelona SC have enjoyed some good results in Ecuador, but their two away games in the Copa Libertadores have seen them lose 2-0 to Universidad Catolica last time out and to Independiente Del Valle a fortnight ago.
Head-to-Head
- Cruzeiro MG are 2nd in Copa Libertadores Group D, with 8 points from 5 matches, keeping their qualifying hopes alive.
- Cruzeiro MG beat Barcelona SC Guayaquil 1-0 away when these sides met in the reverse fixture in this competition six weeks ago.
Key Players
- Matheus Pereira is Cruzeiro’s danger man with two goals in five Libertadores group games, whilst Jhonny Quinonez provides a similar spark for the visitors with one assist in the same number of appearances.
- Hector Villalba is Barcelona SC’s biggest threat with one goal, but they need to be compact defensively to get a good result.
Betting Insights
- We’re backing Cruzeiro to have the upper hand in this fixture, but given the compact nature of the game, we’re going to take the odds of 1.26 for a Cruzeiro win and go for a low scoring affair.
- Under 2.5 goals at 1.92 and Both Teams to Score - No at 1.44 are our picks, with the hosts likely to shut out Barcelona SC.
Prediction
- Artur Jorge’s Cruzeiro have turned into a real threat in this Copa group, with the high-tempo, vertical nature of their 4-2-3-1 formation making them an exciting prospect.
- Barcelona SC are a bit more pragmatic, preferring to pack the midfield and stay compact when out of possession.
- The visitors will look to frustrate and counter.
